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ROSALIE DARE’S TEST 


popular Storlea. 

By AMY BROOKS. 


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“Ske that sail out there!”— Page 15 . 




ROSALIE DARE’S 

TEST 


BY 


AMY BROOKS 

*$ 


WITH ILLUSTRATIONS 
BY THE AUTHOR 



> ' * 
» * 

> ) > 

* I 


BOSTON 

LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO. 











CoPYaiGHTj 1925, 

Bt Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co. 
All rights reserved 
ROSALIE DARE’S TEST 


♦ 


i 


Printed in U. S. A. 


^ortooot) ^reSiet 

BERWICK & SMITH CO. 
Norwood, Mi^ss. 


P;PR 

©C1A823S14 





CONTENTS 

CHAPTER PAGE 

I The Little New Friend.9 

II Bert and Guarda.30 

III At Aunt Cynthia^s.51 

IV A Surprise. 71 

V Only a Girl.95 

VI Iris .116 

VII Stanton, Jr.136 

VIII At the Great Bridge.155 

IX Holiday Plans.174< 

X Christmas Cheer.193 

XI The Little Portrait.213 

XII In May Time.232 

5 
















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• • \V 


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**! 




ILLUSTRATIONS 

**See that sail out there!” (Page 15) . Frontispiece 

FACING PAGE 

**1 brought it back!” she cried.38 

Sometimes the umbrella shielded her from the rain¬ 
drops .90 

Nimbly she ran up the steps.120 

Not far from the bridge lay Stanton Gifford . ,164 

*‘Tell them that^ Stanton. Tell them that!” . .210 


7 




ROSALIE DARE’S TEST 


CHAPTER I 

THE LITTLE NEW FRIEND 

W HITE clouds lazily floating across 
the blue sky, wiry grass blowing in 
the soft breeze, and a little girl running, 
skipping, as bright, as cheery as the sun¬ 
light on the grass. 

How gay she was! 

Her brown eyes were laughing, her short 
brown curls were flying, as she hurried 
toward the little bluff that overlooked the 
bay. 

Up over the hot sand and coarse grass 
she went, sturdily persisting until she 
reached the highest part of the bluff. 


10 


B08ALIE BABE ^8 TE8T 


where beyond the trees she saw a line of 
hills, purple in the distance. 

She stood looking off across the bay, 
beyond the buildings of the little town, and 
distant trees, to those still more distant 
hills. 

Hills at home to wonder about, and 
more hills here to wonder more about,’’ 
she whispered. 

Little Eosalie Dare wondered about 
many things, but she never saw distant 
hills without wondering what lay hidden 
behind them. 

‘‘The hills I see from our porch at home 
are the ones that hide the house where 
Aunt Cynthia lives,” she thought. 

“I wonder what those hills are hiding? 
I’ll ask Uncle Bruce, and maybe he’ll teU 
me that another of my aunts lives there.” 

She laughed softly. 


THE LITTLE NEW FRIEND 


11 


‘‘Aunt Cynthia’s house isn’t just behind 
those hills at home,” she said. “Uncle 
Bruce says that Aunt Cynthia lives a long 
way beyond those hills, not just behind 
them.” 

Another little girl, unseen by Rosalie, 
had been steadily climbing the sandy slope 
to the bluff. 

Rosalie was still looking out across the 
water when a voice behind her startled 
her. 

“Where’s the other little girl?” it de¬ 
manded. 

Rosalie turned. 

A slim little figure stood gazing at her, 
with round eyes. 

“What other little girl?” she asked as 

easily as if the stranger were one of her 

playmates, instead of a child whom she 

« 

had never seen before. 




12 


ROSALIE DARE’S TEST 


^‘The one you were talking to,” the girl 
said promptly. 

^^Oh, I know what you mean,” Rosalie 
said with a laugh. was just telling 
myself something. There was no other 
little girl here with me.” 

The grey eyes looked puzzled for a sec¬ 
ond, then dropping to her knees, the new 
girl crept to the edge of the bluff, and, 
holding fast to the wiry grass, peeped over. 

Evidently satisfied, she crawled back to 
where she had first stood, and sprang to 
her feet. 

thought maybe she was hiding down 
over the edge. I do, sometimes.” 

^^Who?” Rosalie asked. 

‘‘Other girl,” said the stranger. 

“I told you there was no other girl,” 
Rosalie said, vexed that what she had said 
should be questioned. 


THE LITTLE NEW FRIEND 


13 


‘‘I know that, but all the same, I 
looked,’’ was the pert reply. 

‘‘You didn’t believe me?” Eosalie said, 
her cheeks very red. 

“No,” said the other, “an’ I’m no 
worse’n you, for you didn’t b’lieve me 
when I said I often hid just over the 
edge. You didn’t say anything, but you 
looked don’t b’lieve, just as plain as any¬ 
thing, but I can prove it. Want to see 
me do it?” 

“No, oh no!^^ cried Eosalie clasping her 
hands, and shaking her head. 

“Well, I’m going to,” said the other 
girl, and over the edge she went, thrusting 
her toes into crevices, while keeping a firm 
hold on the tough, wiry sod. 

Still holding tightly, she ducked her 
head. 

“Now you can’t see me!” she cried. 


14 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


no I Come back!’’ shrilled Rosalie. 

There was no reply, but after a moment 
the new girl’s head appeared over the edge, 
and then, slowly she made her way up to 
firm ground and safety. 

<<There!” she cried, seating herself near 
Rosalie. ‘^We 'believe each other now! We 
can be friends. My name is Guarda Mc¬ 
Lean. What’s yours?” 

^‘Rosalie Dare.” 

‘‘Oh, what a pretty name,” cried the 
little girl. “It’s finer than mine, but I 
had to be ‘Guarda’ because there has 
always been a Guarda McLean in our 
family.” 

She said it rather primly, and Rosalie 
wondered if it were fine to have a long 
line of ancestors all bearing the same 
name. The little girl spoke as if she 
thought so, and Rosalie wondered why. 


THE LITTLE NEW FRIEND 


15 


The little girl leaned forward, and looked 
up in her face. 

^‘Are you going to live here?’’ she asked, 
eagerly, adding; do hope you are.” 

‘‘Oh, just a few weeks,” Rosalie said, 
smiling. 

^‘And then?” Guar da questioned. 

“And then,” repeated Rosalie, “I’ll go 
home with Aunt Constance and Uncle 
Bruce, and next I’ll be going to Aunt 
Cynthia’s for the winter.” 

“And I’ll live right here with Aunt 
Belinda at the shore,” Guarda said, “and I 
love the shore.” 

“I love it, too,” agreed Rosalie, “and I 
love to watch the vessels and wonder where 
they’re going. See that sail out there!” 

“There always are sails in sight,” said 
Guarda, “and I never tire of watching 
them.” 

“When I go to Aunt Cynthia’s,” said 


16 


ROSALIE DARE ^8 TEST 


Eosalie, ‘‘I’m to go to private school, and 
I’m to study music, and dancing. Won’t 
that be fun?” 

“Ye-s,” Guar da said slowly. “I’d like 
to have music lessons, hut I don’t care 
Inuch for school. I can’t seem to get inter¬ 
ested in the studies.” 

“Wouldn’t you like to learn to dance?” 
Rosalie asked. 

“I can dance now.” 

“Oh, fine!” cried Eosalie, “Who taught 
you?” 

“There was a lady here two years ago 
who had been on the stage. She was stay¬ 
ing at the hotel, and one day she passed our 
house, and saw me skipping around while 
Uncle Bob sat on the porch playing the 
pipes. 

“I didn’t know how to dance, and was 



THE LITTLE NEW FRIEND 


17 


hopping about, keeping time to the music, 
but she seemed to feel sure that I could 
learn, and she gave me lessons all summer. 
I can do the Highland Fling, the Sword 
Dance, and some hornpipes and jigs.’’ 

^‘Oh, fine, fine! Guarda, will you dance 
for me some day"?” asked Eosalie, eagerly. 

‘H’ll dance for you any time you come 
over to my house,” said Guarda, ‘‘but the 
rooms in our cottage are small, so there’s 
not much space for dancing, and the pipes 
sound too loud. I’d have to dance out¬ 
doors for you, but next Monday night, I’m 
to dance over at the hotel, the ‘Sea-View 
House,’ and then Uncle Bob and I shall 
look better for the dance, because we’U 
both wear Scotch costumes.” 

“Oh, Guarda! What time wiU you 
dance? Do you know?” cried Rosalie, her 
eyes sparkling. 



18 


ROSALIE BABERS TEST 


‘‘Sure, I know!’’ said Guarda. “There’s 
to be a concert just before the ball, and 
there’ll be a singer, and a fine violinist, a 
dancer, and that’s me.” 

“Next Monday night!” said Eosalie, 
“and I’ll tell Aunt Constance and Uncle 
Bruce, and I know they’ll be willing to go 
and take me. Oh, Guarda! I think it’s 
great that you can dance.” 

“Maybe you won’t think it great when 
you see me, but the folks at the hotel 
seem to like to see it,” Guarda said quietly. 

“You don’t act as if you thought it smart 
to be able to dance, but that only makes 
me sure you can do wonderfully, and I 
almost can’t wait for Monday night.” 

Uncle Bruce had taken a cottage for the 
season at the shore, and Aunt Constance 
had preferred that to having rooms at the 
one hotel that the little town afforded. 


TEE LITTLE NEW FRIEND 


19 


Now, on the porch, she stood, shading her 
eyes with her hand, and looking eagerly in 
every direction for her little niece Rosalie. 

‘‘What can have kept her so long?’’ she 
said, softly. 

She was always a bit nervous when 
Rosalie was out of sight. She was as fond 
of the child as if it had been her own. 

She went back into the cosy living-room, 
and sat down by the window. A book that 
Rosalie had been reading lay open on the 
broad window-seat, and a wild rose that she 
had brought in lay on its printed page. 

Aunt Constance took the rose, and for a 
few moments looked at its fresh beauty, 
then she replaced it on the book, took a 
long breath, and looked out across the danc¬ 
ing waves. 

“Rosalie, little Rosalie!” she said softly, 


20 


ROSALIE DABE^S TEST 


‘^What will next winter be, with yon at 
Cynthia’s home?” 

That’s what I had in mind when I 
planned onr trip to California,” said 
Uncle Bruce, who had come in from the 
hall, just in time to hear what she had 
said. 

^‘With new scenes, the time for Rosalie 
to return to us will seem to arrive sooner, 
and Rosalie, will seem even more precious 
to us than before.” 

She’ll enjoy that fine private school, 
and the music, I know, and her nimble feet 
will surely like to dance, but tell me, 
Bruce, do you think Stanton will be kind to 
Rosalie?” 

Young Stanton Gifford has been com¬ 
pletely spoiled by his mother, and has not 
the least desire to be kind to any one. 

‘‘As to Rosalie, she can get along with 


THE LITTLE NEW FRIEND 


21 


him if any one could, but even Eosalie would 
lose patience, I believe, after a while.” 

Out in the sunlight, a cheery voice was 
singing: 

** Butterfly, butterfly, 

Where do you dwell? 

In a white lily 
That blooms in the deU. 

Butterfly, butterfly. 

Stay with me, stay! 

You shall have honey 
And cream every day. 

Eosalie ran in at the open door, her 
cheeks flushed, and her eyes shining. 

^‘Oh, IVe just met the dearest little 
girl, and she can dance the Highland 
Fling, and jigs and ^Jiorn pies/ —why. 
Uncle Bruce, what^s funny? Bid you ever 
see any one dance a horn pie?” 

surely never did,” said Uncle Bruce, 
as well as he could speak for laughing, 



22 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


‘‘and Eosalie, dear, IVe eaten every sort 
of pie but ‘horn pie,’ and,”— 

“Don’t tease her, Bruce,” said Aunt 
Constance. “It is ‘hornpipe’ that she 
means.” 

“All right, hornpipe, then,” said Eosalie, 
“and she says her name is Guarda McLean, 
and the big ball-room at the ‘Sea-View’ is 
where she is to dance, and the lady who 
taught her was on the stage a long time 
except last summer, and her aunt’s name is 
Belinda, and may I go? Will you take 
me?” 

“Eosalie, we are not sure where you 
have been all this morning, and we’ve not 
the least idea where you wish to go or 
when,” said Aunt Constance. 

“I thought I told you that,” said Eosalie, 
“I meant to. It’s next Monday night, at 
the ‘Sea-View,’ and there’s to be a con- 


THE LITTLE NEW FRIEND 


23 


cert before the dance. There’ll be other 
people in the concert, but the one I want 
most to see is Guar da McLean.” 

Then Rosalie told about sitting on the 
bluff and how the little girl surprised her. 

Where does this little girl live?” Aunt 
Constance asked. 

‘‘Oh, somewhere in this town,” said 
Rosalie, “and there’s one thing I forgot 
to tell you. Her Uncle Bob plays the 
pipes.” 

“Fine!” said Uncle Bruce, “and did 
you tell her that I play the jew’s-harp 
beautifully?” 

“Bruce, dear, please stop teasing,” 
begged Aunt Constance, but she was quite 
as amused as he. 

“What is a jew’s-harp? Does he play 
it?” Rosalie asked. 

“I never heard him,” Aunt Constance 


24 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 

said, laughing, ^^but maybe he did play 
one when he was a little chap. Boys en¬ 
joy almost anything that makes a noise. 

^^And are we going over to see Guarda 
dance?’’ Kosalie asked eagerly. ^^I’d so 
love to see her.” 

‘^I’ll ask something about this entertain¬ 
ment, and if it is quite all right, we’ll surely 
go,” said Uncle Bruce. Then his eyes be¬ 
gan to twinkle. 

^^Let me clearly understand about this 
entertainment,” he said. ^^The little girl 
is to dance, and—^what is it her uncle is 
on the program for? Did you say he 
would smoke his pipe while she dances?” 

^‘Oh, Uncle Bruce! I do believe you 
know I didn’t say that,” cried Eosalie, 
laughing. 

said, ‘Her uncle will play the pipes 
while she dances’.” 


THE LITTLE NEW FRIEND 


25 


‘^Now that sounds better,’’ declared 
Uncle Bruce. ‘^For the matter of that, I 
could smoke a pipe while she danced, but 
I’d be far too courteous to do such a thing. 
Already I think better of her uncle.” 

Uncle Bruce learned that the entertain¬ 
ment to be given at the Sea-View,” was in 
aid of the little church, and he came home 
with three tickets for Monday evening. 

^‘The church is too small for much of an 
audience,” he said, ^^so the manager of the 
hotel has given the use of the ballroom, 
several guests have volunteered to sing, 
there will be a reader, and the little McLean 
lass will dance. 

find that her uncle is prominent in the 
church, and is a man much liked here for 
his sterling character. The entertainment 
is entitled, ‘An Evening in Scotland,’ and 
I am sure we shall enjoy it.” 


26 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


The maid had asked permission to go to 
the post-office to inquire for a letter that 
she had become rather anxious about. 

‘‘It’s from my cousin, and it should have 
been here before this,” she said. 

“She’s always that prompt about 
writin’, and I feel sure the letter hasn’t 
found me, down here at the shore.” 

Mary returned with the letter. Her 
cousin, when addressing the envelope, had 
forgotten to send it, “Care of Mr. Bruce 
Travers, Surf side Cottage,” so it had re¬ 
mained at the office, waiting for Miss Mary 
Coogan to call and claim it. 

“I see you have your letter, Mary,” said 
Uncle Bruce. 

“An’ glad I am to have it,” said Mary, 
“as I was gettin’ anxious for all the family 
news, an’ the letter is full of it. Sure, my 
cousin was busy gettin’ ready to be married 


THE LITTLE NEW FRIEND 


27 


an’ delayed writin’, an’ now I do be sure 
I’ll not hear from her for one while.” 

^‘Why, Mary, what has happened?” 
Aunt Constance asked kindly. 

^^Happened, is it?” Mary replied. 

‘^An’ if when she’s single, jist gettin^ 
ready to be married keeps her too busy to 
write, what time will she have after, an’ 
her marry in’ a chap with six children?” 

‘‘True enough,” said Uncle Bruce, “but 
with six children to care for she won’t be 
lonesome.” 

“An’ they’re little relations of hers,” 
said Mary. “They are the children of my 
cousin’s brother’s second wife’s sister.” 

Uncle Bruce pressed his hand to his fore¬ 
head, and said it made his head ache to try 
to think what that relationship might be. 

“What relation are they?” Eosalie 


28 


ROSALIE BARE^S TEST 


asked, when Mary had gone out to the 
kitchen. 

^^IVe not the least idea,” said Uncle 
Bruce, ^^and I can’t spare the time to 
figure it out.” 

Rosalie ran out to the kitchen to see if 
Mary could tell her, but the maid was too 
busy to talk. 

‘^Then you can call them cousins,” said 
Rosalie. ‘^That is what Hal Dana does. 
He told me so just before we came here. 
He said that any relatives that weren’t 
anything else, you could call cousins, and 
let it go at that. What did he mean by 
‘let it go at that,’ do you know?” 

“I can’t answer questions when I’m so 
busy,” Mary said, and Rosalie ran out 
through the hall to the porch, where she 
stood listening. Prom somewhere along 
the shore came strange sounds, like the 


TEE LITTLE NEW FRIEND 


29 


buzzing of a thousand bees, with a thread 
of melody sounding now and then above 
the weird, droning music. 

^^Oh, Uncle Bruce! Please come out 
and hear this funny noise!’’ cried Rosalie, 
and at the same moment they heard Mary’s 
shrill voice exclaiming, ‘^Oh, oh, there’s 
that noise I heard when I passed the house 
where a crazy man with a plaid skirt on 
only half long enough for him, an’ himself 
was busy blowin’ wind into a bag that 
shrieked! Oh, oh! What kind of a town 
is this?” 


CHAPTER II 


BEET AND GUAEDA 

W HEN Monday came, Rosalie awoke, 
impatient for the time when they 
would be going over to the hotel. 

^^How long is it before concert time?” 
she asked, when Mary came to call her. 

^Ht’s about as long as yer patience can 
stand waitin’ for it,” said Mary with a 
laugh. 

^‘Oh, that wouldn’t be any time at all,” 
Rosalie said, ^‘because I’d like to see 
Guarda dance now.” 

^‘Then I advise ye to get busy with 
something that will keep ye busy all day, 
an’ the time will go so fast that, before 


30 


BERT AND GUARDA 


31 


ye know it ye’ll be on the way to the fine 
time at the hotel.” 

It happened that the day proved to he a 
delightful one, and the first occurrence 
made Rosalie very happy. 

She was dressed in her bathing-suit, and 
out on the porch, waiting for Aunt Con¬ 
stance, when a lithe little figure in a blue- 
and-white bathing-suit came running along 
the board walk. 

In front of the porch she looked up, and 
a bright smile parted her lips. 

^^Oh, now I know where you live, 
Rosalie!” she cried ‘‘I’ve passed here 
lots of times, but I never saw you.” 

“And I didn’t see you, Guarda. If I 
had seen you I’d have called to you to stay 
and play with me.” 

“I’d stay now,” said Guarda, “but we’re 
all ready for the beach. Let’s go.” 


32 


ROSALIE BABERS TEST 


^^Wait just a second for Aunt Constance. 
She is going with me/’ said Rosalie. 

Just at that moment, the door opened, 
and Aunt Constance came out. 

^^I’m sorry, Rosalie, hut letters have 
come that must be promptly answered, and 
I shall have to spend this forenoon writing, 
instead of on the beach,” she said. 

^‘But this is Guarda McLean, and she 
stopped on her way to the beach. May I 
go with her?” coaxed Rosalie. ‘M’ll not 
go beyond the little thin sheets of water 
that wash up on the sand.” 

^^She couldn’t get out too far, for I can 
swim like a fish, and I’ll look out for her,” 
Guarda said quickly. 

Aunt Constance smiled at her eagerness. 
Guarda looked sturdy, and strong enough 
for anything. 

‘^You may run along together,” she said. 


BERT AND GUARDA 


33 


‘^but watch her, Guarda. She is apt to be 
careless. Rosalie doesn^t mean to be, but 
she forgets.” 

Guarda turned to wave her hand. ^‘Idl 
take care of her! ’ ’ she said. 

‘^How old are you?” Rosalie asked. 

^^Nine,” said Guarda, ^^and I’m growing 
fast this summer. Auntie says.” 

“I’m seven,” said Rosalie, “so why did 
you say you could take care of me ? 
You’re not much larger than I.” 

“Because I’m stronger than you are, and 
because I can swim, Rosalie, and —because 
I like you,” Guarda said, turning to look 
straight into the soft, brown eyes. 

“Oh, that’s the best reason of all!” cried 
Rosalie, “and, Guarda, I like you.” 

They clasped hands, and ran over the 
coarse grass to the hard, wet sand where 
the tide was receding, leaving tiny shells 


34 


EOSALIE DABE^B TEST 


behind. Wave after wave came rolling in 
with frothy crest curled high, then with a 
soft, lisping sound, crawling thinly back 
to join the next incoming roller. 

Hand in hand they stood in the shallow 
water, laughing when the foam-capped 
waves broke against their slender legs and 
chasing each wave as it ebbed. 

^^See that stick floating out there beyond 
the breakers?’’ Guar da asked. 

^‘1 see it!” said Eosalie, ‘‘It bobs on 
every wave.” 

“Well, watch me swim out and get it,” 
said Guarda, who had become tired of 
simply playing in the water. 

“Oh, Guarda! Not so far!” cried 
Eosalie, in real fear. 

“Pooh! That’s not far!” was the quick 
reply. “I could swim twice as far as that, 
yes, and more than twice that far. I 


BERT AND GUARDA 


35 


could swim ’round that little point of land 
that comes out into the water over there, 
and back again, and not be the least bit 
tired!” 

^^She could!” agreed a small boy who had 
come up behind them. know she could, 
for IVe seen her do it, an’ that’s more than 
I can do and I’m a boy, but she’s Scotch, 
so she’s tougher.” 

^‘Are you tougher, or stronger if you’re 
Scotch? Oh, how I do just tvish I were 
Scotch!” Rosalie said promptly. 

‘^So do I,” said the boy, ^^but we boys 
like girls we have to take care of.” 

^^Why do you?” Rosalie asked in sur¬ 
prise. 

^^Oh, I don’t know exactly, but I think it 
makes us feel big to take care of girls that 
aren’t as strong as we. The strong girls 
are good fun to play with, but the ones that 


36 


ROSALIE LABELS TEST 


need us,—oh, I don’t know how to say it.” 

He blushed, and looking down, began 
scraping the wet sand into little hills with 
his shoe. 

Rosalie watched him for a moment, then 
laying her small hand on his arm, she 
peeped at his downcast eyes, and asked: 

^‘What is your name? You didn’t tell 
us.” 

‘H’m Berton Russell, but every one calls 
me ^Bert.’ ” 

^‘Then I’ll call you Bert,” Rosalie said, 
‘^and does Guar da—Why, where is she?” 

The boy turned. 

^^Out there!” he cried, laughing, and 
pointing to where her head peeped above 
the water. 

^^Oh! oh!” cried Rosalie, catching her 
breath. ‘^Get some one to go out after her! 
Go quick! Quick!^^ 


BERT AND GUARDA 


37 


need of that,’’ the boy replied care¬ 
lessly, ‘‘for look! She’s coming back now. 
Hurray! See her laughing at us.” 

Eosalie stood with tightly clasped hands, 
and staring eyes, watching Gruarda’s com¬ 
ing. 

With wonderful speed for so small a 
girl, she swam straight toward them, then 
scrambling from the surf, she raced along 
over the hard, wet sand, waving the drip¬ 
ping stick high above her head as a trophy. 

“I brought it back!” she cried, “Not 
because it was worth saving, but just so 
you’d know I truly did go out as far as 
that.” 

That was the first of many mornings on 
the beach, and Eosalie found herself less, 
and less afraid of the water, with its 
wildly dancing waves. Now, instead of 
frightening her, it charmed her. 


38 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


‘^Come in and begin to learn to swim,” 
said Guarda. ‘^Come! I’ll bold fast to 
you.” 

“Not now,” said Rosalie. “Some other 
time.” 

Bert laughed. 

“That’s the way I felt, before I learned 
to swim,” he said. “I was never ready 
when some one wanted to teach me. I’d 
always promise to begin next day, and 
when the next day came, I put it off till 
the next.” 

“You needn’t tease Rosalie,” Guar da 
said. “She isn’t afraid. She just thinks 
she’d rather begin another day, and we’ll 
be glad to help her anytime.” 

“I didn’t mean to tease,” Bert said, “I 
was only honest enough to own that I was 
afraid, at first, to try to swim, and I was. ’ ’ 

Rosalie slipped her hand into his. “I 



I BROUaHT IT BACKI” 


SHB CRIED.— Page 37. 









BERT AND GUARDA 


39 


don’t mind what you said, I was a bit 
afraid,” she said. 

We’ll go out just a little way, the first 
time,” said Gruarda. 

Rosalie smiled, but she did not say any¬ 
thing. She thought it fine to he able to 
swim, she liked to see Guarda making her 
way through the waves, but she was con¬ 
tent to remain on the shore, at play in the 
shallow water. 

She was hoping that they would not try 
to coax her to go farther than she dared, 
so when she saw Aunt Constance coming 
toward her, she was glad to say ^^I’ll have 
to go now. I’ll see you to-night, Guarda.” 

^^All right,” cried Guarda, ^‘and Bert is 
coming, too.” 

They were both laughing when she looked 
back at them. 

What was the joke? 


40 


ROSALIE DABE^S TEST 


There was a letter from Aunt Cynthia, 
and while much of its contents would not 
in any way interest Rosalie, there was one 
page that Aunt Constance knew she would 
enjoy, so after lunch, she read that part 
aloud: 

‘‘Tell Rosalie that I shall expect to see 
her here on September, the tenth, and as 
Stanton’s school does not open until Octo¬ 
ber ten, there will be plenty of time for my 
small son to become well acquainted with 
his Cousin Rosalie.” 

“Oh, what fun!” cried Rosalie. 

Aunt Constance laid the letter on the 
table, and looked earnestly at the little 
eager face. 

“Rosalie, dear, there is one thing that I 
think I ought to tell you. You have heard 
Aunt Cynthia talk a great deal about her 
small boy, and I think she really believes 
him to be very sweet-tempered. 


BERT AND GUARDA 


41 


‘‘Rosalie, dear, you must try to be patient 
with Stanton if you are to please Aunt 
Cynthia, and enjoy the winter there. 

“Stanton will be at home when we reach 
there, and in a month will go off to private 
school.” 

“Truly I’ll be patient,” Rosalie prom¬ 
ised, “but just what is he likely to do?” 

“Almost anything that occurs to him,” 
said Uncle Bruce, who had just entered. 

Rosalie was silent for a moment, then 
she said: 

“Aunt Constance says I’U have to be 
patient, and you say he’s likely to do 
almost anything that he thinks of. Now, 
Uncle Bruce, I do truly b’lieve Stanton and 
I will be good friends.” 

“I hope you will, dear,” said Uncle 
Bruce, “and Cynthia, I know, will do all 
that she can to make your visit pleasant. 


42 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


Aunt Blanche Davenport wishes you to visit 
her, and then there is Aunt Lucia Curtis 
who feels sure that you should come to her 
for a long visit. Doubtless in each place, 
there will be things that are different from 
what you have been accustomed to in our 
cosy home, but you will find pleasures in the 
different homes, and I know that each of 
your aunts will do her best to make you 
happy.’’ 

^‘And I’ll do my best,” said Rosalie, and 
she hummed a gay snatch of song as she 
ran out to the porch. 

^‘Rosalie is so winsome, I sometimes won¬ 
der if she will actually shame Stanton into 
behaving half-way decent,” said Aunt Con¬ 
stance. 

‘‘Rosalie could do it if any one could,” 
Uncle Bruce replied, “but Stanton seems 



BERT AND GUARDA 


43 


like a boy whom not even the greatest kind¬ 
ness could move.’’ 

‘‘Well, I am very glad that he is to 
be away at school during the greater part 
of the season,” said Aunt Constance. 

Uncle Bruce laughed softly. 

“If I were visiting Cynthia, and I heard 
that Stanton would not be at home at all, 
i^y joy would be unbounded.” 

“BruceI” cried Aunt Constance. 

“Well, the youngster is certainly dis¬ 
agreeable,” said Uncle Bruce, “and the 
less I see of him, the better pleased am I.” 

Rosalie thought evening would never 
come, but it did. 

Dinner was rather late, and after that 
the moments flew. Soon they were dress¬ 
ing for the entertainment, and then they 
slowly strolled along the beach to the 
hotel “Sea-View.” 


44 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


The first numbers on the program inter¬ 
ested the grown-ups, but the boys and girls 
did not enjoy the lady, who sang up to a 
very high note, so shrilly that one small boy 
covered his ears with his hands, nor did 
they care for the short, and very fat little 
man, who sang a bass solo with a voice so 
powerful that it seemed impossible that it 
could belong to anything less than a giant. 

Uncle Bruce pointed to the next number 
on the program, holding it so that Eosalie 
could see. 

^^Oo—o!” she said softly, her brown eyes 
shining, and her hands tightly clasped. 

A tall, broad-shouldered man in High¬ 
land costume came out on the stage, and 
after a glance at the audience, began to 
play the old familiar melody for the 
‘‘Fling.’’ 

Eosalie caught her breath when a boy 


BERT AND GVARBA 


45 


and girl in Scottish costume came running 
out together. 

‘^It’s Bert and Guardal” she whispered, 
but no one heard her, for every one in the 
large audience sat closely watching the 
nimble dancing of the two children. 

It was clever work, and the boy and girl 
danced equally well. 

The applause was generous, and Guarda 
and Bert repeated the dance. 

^‘Oh, Uncle Bruce!’’ whispered Rosalie 
when the dancers had raced from the stage: 
^‘Weren’t they wonderful? May I learn 
to dance? Will they let me dance to differ¬ 
ent music ? Piano, or violins I like, but the 
bagpipes sing through their noses.” 

^^I’ll answer some of those questions 
when we reach home, dear,” whispered 
Uncle Bruce, smiling. 

^‘WiU they dance again?” Rosalie asked. 


46 


ROSALIE DARE’S TEST 


and Uncle Bruce once more pointed to the 
program, but this time his forefinger 
touched a line on the second part. 

^‘Spanish Dance. Gruarda McLean and 
Berton Russell,’’ she read. 

Rosalie leaned back in her seat, and 
studied the frescoed ceiling. 

The painted garlands of roses up there 
where the lights were shining looked far 
more interesting than the stout man on the 
platform who was thanking the people for 
their attendance, and telling them how very 
glad he was to be present. 

Next to appear were two very slender 
girls, who played a piano duet, then an¬ 
other song rendered by the soprano, and 
another bass solo by the little fat man. 

Rosalie wondered how many times they 
were to sing. 


BERT AND GUARDA 


47 


She was counting the roses in the garland 
on the ceiling just above the stage. 

u Three pink ones, next two red ones, 
then three more pink ones, and—’’ she 
stopped whispering and sat upright. 

A pretty girl at the piano was playing 
the first measures of a Spanish waltz, and 
somewhere, just out of sight, tamborines 
were tinkling, ^^Ting-ting! Ting-ting!’’ 

‘^They’re coming!” she whispered, lean¬ 
ing forward. 

What fine little Spanish people they 
seemed to be, in their bright, gaudy cos¬ 
tumes ! How graceful their movements, 
how clever their steps! 

Uncle Bruce turned to look at Rosalie. 

Her lips were parted, and her eyes were 
sparkling, as she leaned eagerly forward, 
watching every step. 

‘Hf it will add to her happiness this 


48 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


winter, she shall surely learn to dance,’’ he 
thought, and under his breath he whis- 
pered, ‘^She’ll need something to offset liv¬ 
ing in the same house with Stanton.” 

Then he remembered that Stanton was to 
be at school nearly all the time, and he 
sighed with genuine relief. 

There were several numbers yet to be en¬ 
joyed, but it was quite late enough for 
Rosalie, Aunt Constance thought, so they 
quietly left, going out by the great main 
doorway. 

To Rosalie’s great delight, Guarda and 
Bert soon overtook them. 

Guarda’s Uncle Bob proved to be as 
cordial, and kindly a man as Uncle Bruce 
Travers, and quite as full of fun. 

The three children walked along together, 
chattering all the way. 

^^You both were just dear in the lovely 


BERT AND GUARDA 


49 


dances that you did/’ said Rosalie, ^^and I 
don’t know which I liked best. Why 
didn’t you tell me that you were to dance, 
too?” she asked looking up at Bert. 

^^Oh, I don’t know,” he answered shyly. 
‘‘I like to dance, but I don’t say much about 
it, the other boys tease so. They say it’s 
‘sissy’ to rig up in costumes and dance, 
but I don’t see why it is, when there are 
grown-up men that do nothing but dance. 
I saw one last winter when my father took 
me to the theatre, who danced wonderfully. 
He was Signor Garcia, and when I saw 
what a tall, manly chap he was, I felt if I 
were sure that I could ever do as well as 
that, I’d like to be a dancer, no matter what 
the other boys think, or say.” 

“I don’t believe any one could dance 
better than you and Guarda did!” Rosalie 
said, but Guarda and Bert only laughed. 


50 


nOSALIE DARE ^8 TEST 


‘‘Oh, but there are people who can do 
the most wonderful dancing,’’ Guarda said. 
“We’ve seen them, and we know, but we 
both mean to study, and maybe some day, 
we’ll be able to dance like those clever 
people that we have seen.” 

Rosalie was not convinced. 

She admired their dancing, and could 
not imagine any dancer more graceful or 
clever than Guarda and Bert. 


CHAPTER III 


AT AUNT Cynthia’s 

A nother letter from Aunt Cynthia 
came a few days after the concert, 
and again it reminded Aunt Constance that 
Rosalie was to arrive at her home promptly 
on September tenth. 

Cynthia doesn’t intend that we shall 
forget the date,” said Uncle Bruce, but he 
did not laugh as gayly as usual. 

He was thinking how soon Rosalie, who 
was so dear to them, would brighten Aunt 
Cynthia’s home, and how different their 
own home would be without her sunny face, 
her merry laughter. 

^‘We did wisely when we planned to 


61 


52 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


spend the winter in California,” he said to 
himself, and the same thought passed 
through Aunt Constance’s mind, as she 
looked up at him. 

Rosalie had been with them ever since 
the time when she, at six months old, had 
been left an orphan, and they loved her 
as if she were their own. 

Rosalie as truly loved them, but she re¬ 
membered the winter before, when at 
Christmas, she had enjoyed so many pleas¬ 
ures at Aunt Cynthia’s home, and it seemed 
to her that a winter spent there would be 
one glad round of good times. 

Every letter that came from Aunt 
Cynthia increased her eager longing to go * 
there, and at last the day arrived when 
they were to leave the shore. 

Aunt Constance had decided that she 
could not make the trip. She was very 


AT AUNT CYNTEIA^S 


53 


tired, and it seemed easier to say good-bye 
to dear little Rosalie at the shore, and let 
her start from there, with Uncle Bruce, for 
Aunt Cynthia’s home than it would be to 
see her going out from their own home, to 
be so long away. 

‘‘I’m going to see Cousim Stanton, for 
the first time!” Rosalie cried, when the 
steamer was about to start. 

“And may he be kind to you,” Aunt 
Constance tried to say, but while her lips 
moved, not a sound could she utter. 

- On the way back from the wharf. Aunt 
Constance stopped her car, to pick up a 
friend, who tried her best to say something 
that might cheer Mrs. Travers. 

“She is a very dear little girl, but she is 
not yet eight years old, and being so young, 
she will doubtless be homesick. Mark my 
words, Connie, you will have her back 


54 


ROSALIE BARE ^8 TEST 


again in less than no time. She was eager 
to go, all children like changes, but a few 
days in a new home will be quite enough.’’ 

‘‘You are mistaken. Mama,” was the 
quiet reply. “Rosalie loves us dearly, but 
her parents were fond of travel, and were 
never so happy as when about to visit some 
place, or places that were new to them, and 
Rosalie, I believe inherits the longing for 
new scenes. The only thing that would 
make her cut short her visit would be the 
very possible chance that her Cousin Stan¬ 
ton would be unbearable, but there is not 
much chance of that, for, unpleasant as the 
spoiled young rascal is, he will, with the 
exception of the Christmas and spring va¬ 
cations, be away at school.” 

“You’ll have less care,” ventured her 
friend, but Aunt Constance replied, “I’d 


AT AUNT CYNTHIA’S 


55 


be far happier with the care, and enjoying 
Rosalie’s companionship.” 

It was a long trip, this time, part way by 
boat, and the remainder of the journey by 
train, instead of all the way by rail as be¬ 
fore. 

It was late Thursday afternoon when 
they arrived at the Gifford home, a hand¬ 
some house that Rosalie well remembered. 

Uncle Stanton and Aunt Cynthia were 
eagerly watching for the arrival of their 
guests, while Stanton, Junior waited, any¬ 
thing but eagerly in an upper room, a 
frown upon his face. 

Uncle Stanton spoke to the manservant 
who was passing through the hall. 

‘‘Go upstairs, Blanford, and tell Master 
Stanton to come down to greet his Cousin 
Rosalie,” he said. 


56 


ROSALIE BARE^S TEST 


When Blanford returned, he paused be¬ 
side Mr. Gifford’s chair. 

‘‘I gave Master Stanton your message, 
and he said as how there was no hurry, but 
he’d be down when Miss Rosalie came.” 

‘^I’m sure of that,” Uncle Stanton re¬ 
plied, ‘^because I told him if he didn’t ap¬ 
pear promptly I should come upstairs 
after him.” 

‘‘Yes, sir, very good, sir,” the man re¬ 
plied, but his eyes twinkled as he left the 
room. 

He was a sturdy Englishman, but he 
could see the amusing side of any situation, 
and just now was wondering what sort of 
welcome young Stanton intended giving his 
cousin, when she arrived. 

He decided to watch, if possible. 

‘I wonder if his father can make hiTn 


AT AUNT CYNTHIA^S 


57 


mind his manners?’’ he thought, as he went 
down the hall. 

For a few moments Aunt Cynthia sat 
silently watching her husband, while 
Uncle Stanton, leaning back in his chair, 
listened attentively for two sounds, one of 
approaching wheels that would bring 
Rosalie, the other of his boy’s footsteps 
on the stairs. The second of these sounds 
he hardly expected to hear. It seemed 
far more likely that he would be obliged to 
go in search of Stanton if the boy were to 
appear. 

Sullen he surely was, and obstinate as 
well. 

A second later Aunt Cynthia leaned for¬ 
ward, and listened. 

^^She has come, I do believe!” she cried, 
and then light footsteps bounded up the 
the steps, followed by a firmer tread, Blan- 


58 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


ford opened the great door, and Rosalie 
rushed in to be caught in Aunt Cynthia’s 
arms, then welcomed by her Uncle Stan¬ 
ton, and then genial Uncle Bruce came in 
for his share of the hearty greetings. 

A sound on the stairway made them all 
look up. 

Looking neither toward the newly ar¬ 
rived guests, nor toward his father, who 
stood at the foot of the stairs waiting for 
him, young Stanton Gifford came down to 
the lower hall, because he dared not do 
otherwise. 

^^This is your Cousin Rosalie,” his father 
said, leading him forward, with a firm hand 
on his shoulder. 

Rosalie, her brown eyes shining, moved 
eagerly toward Stanton, her hands ex¬ 
tended. 

^‘I’ve so wanted to know you,” she said, 


AT AUNT CYNTHIA’S 


59 


and then caught her breath, and drew 
back. 

^^Oh, Stanton!” she cried, ‘^Aren’t you 
glad I’ve cornel” 

Half ashamed, he took one of her eager 
hands, muttered something so low that no 
one understood what he said, and then 
moved toward his mother, of whose ap¬ 
proval he felt quite sure. 

Stanton is so bashful,” Aunt Cynthia 
hastened to say to cover an awkward 
pause. 

The boy and girl looked at each other, 
while the older people talked, but Uncle 
Bruce seemed not to notice what was being 
said, so closely was he watching young 
Stanton. 

The boy looked up, and flinched at the 
clear eyes gazing at him. 

His mother thought him wonderful. Was 


60 


ROSALIE DARE’S TEST 


it possible that tall, handsome Uncle Bruce 
did not admire him? 

The boy smiled as if to disarm Uncle 
Bruce, but the cool, clear eyes regarding 
Stanton so sternly did not appear to re¬ 
lent. 

Dinner was served almost immediately. 
Stanton, sitting beside his father, and 
Rosalie, beside Aunt Cynthia, looked across 
the broad table. Stanton glowered and 
Rosalie looked puzzled as their glances met. 

Beautiful pink and crimson roses were 
massed in a tall Dresden jar in the center 
of the table. Handles, formed by large 
open scrolls, stood out on each side, the 
opening in each as wide as a fair-sized 
saucer. 

Twice Stanton looked up from his plate, 
and through the handle of the vase, saw 


AT AVNT CYNTRIADS 


61 


that Rosalie was very soberly looking at 
him. 

A third time he peeped at her, and then, 
—he made an outrageous face! 

Rosalie giggled. 

Dear little Rosalie, never dreaming that 

an ugly impulse prompted the grimace, 
saw only the drolly skewed features, and 
thought that he meant to cure her soberness 
by doing something that would make her 
laugh. 

^^Oh, I’m sorry!” gasped Rosalie, 
didn’t mean to laugh right out loud at the 
table, but Stanton was so funny! I never 
saw a boy make such a comic face!” 

Stanton flushed crimson. 

His mother had seen it all, and knew only 
too well, the meanness that caused the act. 

His father had not seen the grimace, but 


62 


ROSALIE BARE ^8 TEST 


he understood his small son, and said 
only: 

^‘I’ll see you in the library after dinner, 
Stanton/’ 

^^Yes, sir,” Stanton replied, just above a 
whisper. 

He was far from eager to hear what his 
father had to say. 

He did not look up at Rosalie again, but 
devoted his attention wholly to his dinner. 

Once only he spoke. 

When the dessert was served, he looked 
up, saw that it was raspberry sherbet with 
the fresh fruit frozen in it, and remarked: 

^^Aw, pshaw! Why did you have sher¬ 
bet? You know I like ice-cream better. 
I’ll not eat that!” 

^^Now, Stanton dear,” said his mother. 
Would you like some—” 

‘^Pardon me, Cynthia, but the dessert 



AT AVNT CYNTHIA^8 


63 


will not be changed for onr son. It is 
quite unnecessary.” 

Then conversation became general, Uncle 
Stanton, Uncle Bruce, and Aunt Cynthia 
talking of old friends whom they all knew, 
and before they left the table, Stanton had 
decided to eat his sherbet. 

They were going for a drive through the 
park, and then return in time for the guests 
to retire early, and be thoroughly rested 
for the morrow. 

No one knew what Uncle Stanton said 
to his small son, when they met after din¬ 
ner in the library, but when a telephone 
message invited Stanton to be one of nine 
at a local ball game, his father readily 
gave his consent. 

It may be that he thought the ride would 
be pleasanter for Eosalie, if Stanton were 


64 


ROSALIE DABE^S TEST 


not there to say unkind things, or to 
be sullen and silent. 

Rosalie sat close beside her Aunt Cyn¬ 
thia, and often when they were bowling 
along a broad avenue, she glanced up at the 
handsome face, as if trying to guess if 
Aunt Cynthia was at all like dear Aunt 
Constance, or dreaming what it would be 
like to be with Aunt Cynthia all winter. 

The next morning dawned bright and 
sunny. 

Stanton declared it necessary for him to 
join the ball players again for practice, 
but Rosalie gave no thought to that, be¬ 
cause Uncle Bruce was leaving early, and 
she had so many things that he must be 
sure to tell Aunt Constance that she did 
not miss Stanton at all. 

Just when Uncle Bruce had gone, Lillian 
Glynn came racing over to see Rosalie, and 



AT AUNT CYNTHIA^8 


65 


to invite her to enjoy the Saturday matinee 
in a box at the theatre with two other little 
girls, and Mrs. Glynn and Aunt Cynthia. 

The play was one that children would 

enjoy, arranged from the old fairy tale, 

$ 

‘‘Snow-white and the Elves.’’ 

So fine the scenery, so wonderful the 
dancing, so brilliant the lights, so sweet the 
music that Rosalie was enchanted, and 
when, as they were leaving the theatre, she 
heard Mrs. Glynn telling Aunt Cynthia 
how much finer the play had been as shown 
by another company, she wondered how 
that could be. 

“I b’lieve it’s nice to be little, and like 
things just as they are!^’ Rosalie whispered, 
“and when I grow up, I mean to like things 
then!’^ 

Later that night at dinner, she told Uncle 


66 


ROSALIE DARE’S TEST 


Stanton about the play, and how glad she 

was that it^seemed perfect to her. 

‘^Mrs. Glynn said she saw another com¬ 
pany play it, and it was finer than it was 
this afternoon, but I don’t see how it could 
be lovelier than it was to-day.” 

^‘You like everything growled Stan¬ 
ton. 

like to like things! I mean to like 
things! It’s more fun,” said Eosalie. 

‘‘You are right, Eosalie,” said Uncle 
Stanton, “and if you stick to your inten¬ 
tion, you are sure to be contented and 
happy.” 

Stanton frowned, and to change the sub¬ 
ject, asked: 

“How soon does my school begin?” 

“Two weeks from to-day,” replied Aunt 
Cynthia, expecting that, as usual he would 
coax to be one week late at school. 


AT AVNT CYNTHIA’S 


67 


“Gee! Only two weeks, and then Ill 
be with the boys again!” 

Rosalie’s cheeks flushed. She could not 
help seeing that Stanton was eager to get 
away. 

He had found something now about 
which he was interested to talk, and with 
flashing eyes he related happenings at 
school, where, if his stories were true, he 
was always the hero. 

Aunt Cynthia leaned forward, eagerly 
listening to every word that Stanton ut¬ 
tered, but Uncle Stanton, sat quietly study¬ 
ing the boy’s face, and Rosalie wondered 
why he looked less interested than Aunt 
Cynthia. 

Stanton remained in the house as little 
as possible. 

Aunt Cynthia saw a troubled look in 


68 


ROSALIE LABELS TEST 


Rosalie’s brown eyes, and knew that Stan¬ 
ton’s lack of interest hurt. 

^‘You mustn’t mind, dear, if Stanton 
seems to like best to be outdoors with his 
boy friends.” 

‘‘Oh, it doesn’t matter—^that is, not very 
much. Aunt Cynthia,” Rosalie replied, but 
her red lips quivered, and her voice was not 
steady. 

“I think you are grieved, dear; but you 
see, Stanton has always been very shy, and 
he goes out, I think, so that we’ll not notice 
it.” 

“He doesn’t act shy,” Rosalie said in a 
low voice, “but—oh, it may be that he is.” 

Dear little Rosalie! She longed to find 
an excuse for her cousin. She knew that 
he was rude, and unkind, and yet—if it 
were true that he was shy—well, she would, 
at leasts feel that he did not dislike her. 


AT AVNT CYNTHIA*S 


69 


Aunt Cynthia spoke gently. In her 
heart was a warm glow of stronger love 
for the little girl who, although unkindly 
treated, would strive to accept an excuse 
for her spoiled cousin. 

‘^Stanton isn’t shy with every one, but 
he has always been shy, exceedingly shy, 
with girls,” she said, and Rosalie’s eyes 
brightened. 

^‘Oh, then it isn’t just I, it’s any girl, 
all girls!” she cried. 

That made his dislike more general, and 
so the hurt was not quite so keen. 

^‘If I’d been a boy cousin, you think he 
would have stayed in some of the time?” 
Rosalie asked. 

‘‘Oh, yes,” said Aunt Cynthia, “or else 
taken you out with him.” 

“^ell, I don’t wish I’d been a boy,” said 


70 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


Rosalie, ‘‘because I like to be a girl, and I 
like to be a girl—ob, just because,^’ 

Aunt Cynthia laughed, and Rosalie’s 
rippling laughter seemed a musical echo. 

Both felt lighter-hearted, and Rosalie 
ran off to write a letter to Uncle Bruce. 

Once in the letter she spoke of Stanton. 
Usually she wrote as people write of a per¬ 
son who is sick: 

“I’m having a lovely time with all the 
new boys and girls. Lillian Glynn is the 
dearest girl, and her brother, Merwin, is 
jolly. Stanton is about the same as he has 
been ever since I came here.” 

“I wonder what Rosalie means, by 
‘Just about the same,’ ” Aunt Constance 
said one evening, after a letter. 

“She doubtless means ‘just about as disa¬ 
greeable,’ ” said Uncle Bruce. 


CHAPTER IV 


A SURPKISE 

R osalie was enjoying her visit. 

LiUian was a loving little friend and 
playmate, her brother, Merwin, was full of 
fun, a manly boy who, unlike Stanton, be¬ 
lieved girls to be well worth knowing, and 
there were a number of other boys and girls 
who plainly showed their friendship for 
Rosalie. 

Her name was already on the list of 
pupils at Mordaunt Manor, a fine private 
school, on the same street, and hut a short 
distance from the Gifford home. 

The following Monday would be the first 
day of school at the ‘‘Manor,’’ and at the 


71 


72 


ROSALIE LABELS TEST 


far-distant school for boys that Stanton at¬ 
tended. 

Stanton would be obliged to leave home 
on Friday afternoon, in order to report at 
the school on Monday. 

He was very eager to start, and when 
Friday came, he arose early, and at break¬ 
fast declared that all his belongings were 
packed. 

^^This is the first time that you have 
packed without help, and it is also the first 
time that you have been ready to start for 
school without urging,’’ said Uncle Stan¬ 
ton. 

Stanton made no reply. He glanced to¬ 
wards Rosalie, but she was not looking, 
and he could not guess whether she had 
heard his words or not. 

Aunt Cynthia had lunch served an hour 
earlier than usual, so that Stanton might 


A SURPRISE 


73 


enjoy one more meal at home. He ate but 
little, however, preferring, he said, to have 
a feast of his own choosing on the train, 
and when the car rolled up to the porch, 
he snatched a suit-case, and raced towards 
the door. Aunt Cynthia closely following, 
crying: 

Stanton! Stanton, dear, you can^t go 
without saying a word to us.’^ 

‘‘Aw, well—good-bye, all,’’ he said turn¬ 
ing quickly, and bolting towards the open 
door of the car. 

He was in and seated, and bowling along 
the road to the station before Aunt Cynthia 
had caught her breath. 

Eosalie gasped, and then turned wide, 
wondering eyes towards Uncle Stanton, 
who had placed his arm around his wife’s 
shoulders, and was gently leading her to¬ 
wards the house. 


74 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


Rosalie followed, longing in some way to 
comfort them, yet afraid to say a word, 
lest she might say the wrong thing. 

They seemed not to realize that she was 
there, as they walked along the hall to the 
library, where the heavy portieres closed 
behind them when they had passed through 
the doorway. 

Rosalie stood for a moment hesitating, 
then she turned and went quietly up the 
stairway to her room, where she sat down 
upon the bed to think. 

After a moment she said softly to her¬ 
self : 

^‘What a way to say good-bye!’’ to which 
a maid who had entered replied: 

‘^That’s what I say. Miss Rosalie, an’ 
him an only child!” 

‘^Does he always go like that?” Rosalie 
asked. 


A SURPRISE 


75 


^^Well, no—not exactly,’’ the maid re¬ 
plied, ‘‘but pretty near like that, that is, 
he seems ter know a lot of ways of bein’ 
dis’greeable.” 

“Oh, I’ve tried, and tried to think he 
didn’t mean to hurt Aunt Cynthia, but it 
seems as if he must know he doesn’t make 
her feel very cheerful when he races off 
to school like that!” 

“Mark my words. Miss Eosalie, Master 
Stanton don’t never try to please no one 
but himself.” 

Eosalie looked up at the maid, but she 
said nothing. She knew that the maid 
spoke truthfully. 

She took a book of fairy tales over to 
the broad, cushiond window-seat, and so 
charming were the stories that she read on 
and on until dinner time. 

Uncle Stanton seemed quite himself, and 


76 


ROSALIE DARE’S TEST 


while Aunt Cynthia’s eyes plainly showed 
that she had been crying, she managed to 
smile, and tried in every way to appear 
cheerful. 

Uncle Stanton told stories of his own 
boyhood days, and Rosalie enjoyed them, 
but Aunt Cynthia’s eyes held a far-away 
look, and Rosalie knew that she was think¬ 
ing of Stanton. 

The first weeks at Mordaunt Manor were 
full of happenings, and while all the boys 
and girls enjoyed it, Rosalie appeared to 
be the happiest of all. 

There was absolute order, but at the 
same time, a lack of the stern restraint 
common in many schools. Pupils were 
permitted to sit in any position that would 
look well in one’s living-room, and they 
were also allowed to [help each other in 
preparing lessons, if they remembered to 



A SURPRISE 


77 


talk so quietly that others would not be 
disturbed. 

Rosalie wrote to Aunt Constance, telling 
her that no other school could be so delight¬ 
ful, and the little letter closed with love, 
and a postscript. 

Stanton went back to school three 
weeks ago,’’ it said, but there was no added 
word of regret. 

When the fourth week brought no letter 
from Stanton, Rosalie saw that Aunt 
Cynthia was very anxious. Uncle Stanton 
looked rather nervous, too, and every morn¬ 
ing glanced at letters that had arrived, as 
if he were looking for some especial letter 
that was delayed. 

One afternoon Rosalie brought her books 
home from school, and settled herself com¬ 
fortably in a cushioned chair to prepare 

lessons for the next day. 


78 


ROSALIE DARE’S TEST 


Aunt Cynthia was at one of the numer¬ 
ous clubs of which she was an active mem¬ 
ber, and there was not a sound in the house 
save the ticking of the gilded clock on the 
mantel. 

Kosalie was just wishing that the great 
house was not so silent, when something 
snapped against the window. 

She sat up in the chair and stared about 
her. 

Had she really heard something or was 
she dreaming? 

Again the sharp sound like hail against 
the window, made her start. 

She sprang to her feet, her books fell 
upon the rug, and for a second she paused, 
then she ran to the library window. 

There, crouching behind the hedge, was 
a boy who stared at her, as if wondering 
what she intended to do. 


A SURPRISE 


79 


His cap was pulled well down over his 
eyes, but there was no mistaking him,— 
it was Stanton. 

He made no effort to approach the house, 
but made signs for her to go around to 
the side door. 

Eosalie knew that he did not go to the 
front door, because Blanford would answer 
the bell, and it was evident that Stanton 
did not wish the manservant to see him. 

Softly she crept to the side door, and as 
softly opened it. 

Stanton who was impatiently waiting, 
rushed past her, and up the stairs, beckon¬ 
ing her to follow. 

Rosalie followed, wondering why he now 
wished her to follow him, and what had 
sent him home. 

He had never wanted her near him, and 


80 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


as to this home-coming he was not supposed 
to return until the Holidays. 

When she reached the upper hall, he 
drew her into a shadowy corner, and began 
to talk rapidly in a hoarse whisper. 

’S no use to ask questions, ’cause 
you’re a girl an’ wouldn’t understand, but 
I been ^picked upon,’ that’s all. The 
teachers don’t any of ’em like me, and the 
principal, Mr. Corliss, has sent me home, 
for just no reason at all. I could patch it 
up with Mother, but I’m ’fraid Father’ll 
be angry. You get ’round Father some 
way, you know well ’nough you can, an’ 
make him,—^well, sort o’ willing to see me. 
You’U have to, Eosalie, or I’ll run away!” 

^^Oh, don’t do that!” whispered Eosalie, 
with fear in her eyes, ^H’ll do all I can. 
I will truly! But Stanton, there must have 
been some reason why you—” 


A SURPRISE 


81 


‘^Now, you just stop asking questions, 
and do what I say,” was the surly reply. 

Uncle Stanton is coming home early 
to-night,” whispered Eosalie, ‘‘and I’ll try 
to coax him.” 

“Well, don’t ask him right out first 
thing. Just say,—oh, I don’t know just 
what to tell you to say, but you’re a girl 
and you ought to know how to get him to 
listen, and, say! I’m hungry!” 

“You’ll come down to dinner, won’t 
you?” Eosalie asked. 

“I won’t unless you get it fixed first,” 
Stanton said stoutly. 

“I say, Eosalie! I’m going to stay in 
my room, and can’t you get a bite for me?” 

“I’ll try,” she promised, and ran down¬ 
stairs, and into the dining-room, but there 
she paused. 

She had rarely seen the cook, but she had 


82 


ROSALIE BABERS TEST 


heard one of the maids telling the butler 
that the cook had a hasty temper, so she did 
not dare to try to find her. On the side¬ 
board was a fine dish of fruit. 

Hastily snatching a bunch of grapes, a 
large orange, and two bananas, she hid 
them in her skirt, clutched its hem firmly, 
and rushed up the stairs. 

She was not a moment too soon, for as 
she ran into Stanton’s room, and tossed 
them on the bed, she heard some one com¬ 
ing up the stairway. 

It was only one of the maids, but Stanton 
and Eosalie held their breath until she had 
ascended the second fiight of stairs to her 
own room. 

Then Stanton, without a word of thanks 
began greedily to eat the fruit. Once he 
paused long enough to say, '‘I wish you’d 
brought some cake.” 


A SURPRISE 


83 


‘‘But I wouldn’t know where to look for 
it, and I’ve never asked the servants for 
anything since I came here. They’d be 

sure to ask questions, and you wouldn’t 
want me to say you were here, and that I 

was getting things for you.” 

“Well, I guess not!^^ whispered Stanton. 
A moment after they both started when 
they heard the great hall door open and 
close. 

Rosalie crept toward the door and 
listened. 

“It’s Uncle Stanton,” she whispered. 
“I’ll go down, and I’ll do my best to fix 
things for you.” 

Stanton nodded, and she slipped out, 
closing the door softly. 

Stanton felt no shame in asking help 
from Rosalie whom he had treated so un¬ 
kindly, and dear little Rosalie had never a 


84 


ROBALIE DARE^S TEST 


thought, save that of a longing to smooth 
the way for Stanton. 

She found Uncle Stanton in his big chair 
in the library, and she perched on the arm, 
as she often sat on the wide arm of Uncle 
Bruce’s chair. 

Uncle Stanton’s face brightened. ^‘Why, 
this is fine!” he said. ‘‘I thought you were 
out with Cynthia, and I should be quite 
alone until you both returned.” 

^^Tou don’t like to be alone?” said 
Eosalie, leaning against his shoulder, her 
soft curls touching his cheek. 

^‘Not if I can have a fine little comrade 
like you, dear,” he said gently. 

^^But you’d rather have any one for 
company, than be alone, wouldn’t you?” 
she asked, tipping her head so that she 
might peep into his eyes. 

^^Well, no,” he said laughing. ‘‘I’d 



A SURPRISE 


85 


rather be alone than endure some people 
IVe seen.” 

She drew back, and looked at him so 
fixedly that he asked: 

‘^Why, Puss, how sober you look. Are 
you dismayed ? Did you think I ^d like the 
company of a wild Indian, a crazy China¬ 
man, or a Whirling Dervish, better than to 
wait alone until my wife and a dear little 
girl might return?” 

Instead of answering his laughing ques¬ 
tion, she asked another. 

‘‘I don^t mean ever to be naughty. Uncle 
Stanton, but if I happened,—^yes, just 
happened to vex you, you’d forgive me, 
wouldn’t you?” 

‘‘I surely would, Eosalie,” was the firm 
reply. 

‘‘Well, then,—when Stanton was here, he 
was some naughty, but you’ve forgiven him 


86 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


by this time, havenyou?’’ she coaxed. 

He hesitated, and she clasped her arms 
about his neck. 

You’d forgive me/’ she said gently, 
‘^and he is your own boy. You have, you 
know you have forgiven him. Say, ‘Yes,’ 
please do,” and she kissed his cheek. 

“Yes,” Uncle Stanton said in a low 
voice, and Rosalie held him closer. 

“Tell me you’d be glad to see him,” she 
pleaded. 

“Yes,” Uncle Stanton said, hardly above 
a whisper. 

“Well, then, wait just a minute,” she 
cried, as she sprang from the arm of his 
chair, and ran towards the stairs. 

“Rosalie, where are you going? What 
idoes this mean?” 

“I’ll tell you in a minute!” she cried and 



A SURPRISE 


87 


raced up the stairs, looking over the balus¬ 
ter to smile at him. 

Uncle Stanton rose from his chair, and 
stood looking toward the stairway. 

A door opened, and then a rather shame¬ 
faced boy, holding fast to Eosalie’s hand 
came down the stairs, looking neither to the 
right nor to the left. 

^‘Here he is, and you’re glad to see him, 
you said so!” declared Eosalie. 

‘‘I should hope that I would be glad to 
see my boy, at any time, but why—” Uncle 
Stanton did not finish the sentence, for 
Eosalie held up a small finger. 

^‘You’re sorry you’ve been naughty, 
Stanton, you know you are, whether you 
say so or not, and you told me you meant to 
do better.” 

‘‘I do mean to be—decent—if I have a 
chance to,” said young Stanton softly. 



88 


ROSALIE DARE ^8 TEST 


^‘Well, that’s half the battle, ‘if we mean 
right,’ my boy, and now let’s enjoy our 
dinner, and this evening, and to-morrow 
we’ll hear all about your home-coming.” 

Before Stanton could reply his mother 
came in. 

“Oh, Stanton dear, were you taken ill 
so that they sent you home?” she cried. 

“We are glad to see Stanton, and we do 
not yet know why he has returned, so I 
propose that we enjoy dinner and an even¬ 
ing at home, and to-morrow we’ll consider 
the cause of his sudden return,” said Uncle 
Stanton. 

Aunt Cynthia was puzzled, but as she 
never liked to have Stanton questioned, she 
cheerfully agreed to wait until the next 
day for an explanation. 

“It is a half-hour before dinner, and I 
ought to go over to Lillian’s house. She 


A SURPRISE 


89 


lent me a book, and I said I’d bring it 
back to-nigbt. May I go? I’ll not stay,” 
Rosalie asked. 

Aunt Cynthia smiled assent, and then, as 
she turned towards the window she ex¬ 
claimed : 

‘^Why, Rosalie, there’s a shower coming. 
Already a few raindrops are falling.” 

‘^Rosalie must keep her promise and re¬ 
turn the book. Stanton can walk over with 
her and carry the umbrella,” Uncle Stan¬ 
ton said. 

‘^Aw, Father! I can’t walk out with a 
girl! The fellows I know will tease,” cried 
Stanton. 

‘^Stanton! Rosalie was a true little 
friend to you to-day, and this is your first 
chance to show that you are grateful. Do 
you want to look thankless?” 

His father’s voice was stern, and without 


90 


BOSALIE DARE^S TEST 


waiting to be urged, Stanton took bis cap 
from bis pocket into wbicb be bad crammed 
it, and with a basty ‘‘Come along, Rosalie,’’ 
be snatched an umbrella from tbe ball- 
stand, and tbe two went out together. 

Stanton was unwilling to go, but be 
dared not refuse. 

He tramped along beside Rosalie. Some¬ 
times tbe umbrella shielded her from tbe 
raindrops, and at other times it did not, 
but that did not worry Stanton. 

When they reached Lillian’s home, be 
refused to enter, and when Lillian urged 
Rosalie to “Come in for just a minute,” be 
told her not to “stay all day!” and sullenly 
waited on tbe porch. 

When they returned, dinner passed off 
pleasantly, and Uncle Stanton, realizing 
that bis small son was not inclined to help 
entertain Rosalie, decided to take bis little 




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Page 90. 




















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A SURPRISE 


91 


party to the theatre, and so make it a 
pleasant evening for all. 

The play was charming, but all through 
the evening Stanton kept wondering 
whether his father intended sternly to de¬ 
mand all the particulars of his hasty return 
from school, or if, instead, he was to es¬ 
cape with but little questioning. 

There was one thing that the boy had not 
thought of, and that was what happened 
next morning. 

For some reason the mail was delayed, 
so that it arrived after breakfast, but just 
before Uncle Stanton had left the house. 
Among the letters, lay an envelope on the 
upper left corner of which was the name 
of the school that Stanton had just left. 

The letters were large, and printed on a 
red shield, and Stanton recognized that 
shield. 



92 


ROSALIE DARE^B TEST 


not especially hurried this morning 

so I’ll just look through these letters,” said 

« 

Uncle Stanton, and he took up the one 
bearing the red shield. 

Stanton wriggled from his chair, and was 
cautiously gliding toward the door, when 
his father looked up. 

^‘Just a moment, Stanton,” he said, and 
Stanton stopped. 

“Wait a moment, Cynthia,” said Uncle 
Stanton, “and you, too, Rosalie,” and 
then he read the letter aloud. It opened 
with a few stilted phrases, declaring the 
principal’s friendly feeling toward all of 
his pupils, and stating that he held no un¬ 
kind feeling for Stanton, Junior, but that 
he could not in justice to other students, 
permit such as he to remain a pupil of the 
school. 

“He is constantly planning mischief, 


A SURPRISE 


93 


into which he seeks to, and often succeeds 
in, dragging others. He sets an example 
of disobedience, and boasts of his ability to 
break rules, and avoid punishment. For 
this reason I am sending him home, and I 
must ask you to refrain from urging me 
to permit him to return.” 

‘‘Well, Stanton, do you expect me to be 
proud of you?” Uncle Stanton asked. 

Stanton hung his head, shifted from one 
foot to the other, and muttered something 
about not having had a fair chance, while 
his mother with tears in her eyes declared 
that Stanton had been abused. 

“Cynthia, we must not make excuses for 
Stanton, for if we do, we shall be encour¬ 
aging him in doing as he has been doing. 
I don’t, intend to do that, and I don’t be¬ 
lieve you do. We love our boy, and we will 
do what is best for him. 


94 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


he is a nuisance at private school, we 
must see what the public school can do for 
him. Next Monday he will enter the 
Grafton School. It is in this district, and 
its principal is a good man, a just man, 
whom I admire/’ 


CHAPTER V 


ONLY A GIRL 

R osalie enjoyed school. Stanton 
did not. Rosalie studied her lessons, 
while Stanton refused even to try to learn. 

He had boasted of the wonderful private 
school that he was attending, of its military 
drill, its riding lessons, oh, he had talked 
of that school until the other boys were 
tired of listening, and now he found it diffi¬ 
cult to convince those same boys that he 
really preferred the public school. He tried 
to assure them that he needed no further 
training in military tactics, and he was 
very angry when they laughed. 

He was now nearly ten years old, while 


95 


96 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


Rosalie would soon be eight, yet he was no 
farther advanced in his school work than 
she. 

There was one thing which he considered 
a grievance, and that was that while the 
private school which Rosalie attended had 
but one session, he was obliged to attend 
two sessions at the public school. 

Twice a day!’’ he muttered one day 
after lunch. ‘‘Once a day is more than 
enough at that old school!” 

“If you had studied, instead of idling 
away your time planning mischief, you 
might still be a pupil at that school from 
which you were sent home,” said his father, 
“and I’ve one thing more to say, and that 
is that if you care for my approval, you will 
at least try to win and hold a good record 
at school. You like to have other pupils 
think that you prefer to play, and some 


ONLY A GIRL 


97 


will believe that, but many more will think 
that you can not learn.’’ 

‘^Aw, pshaw! I can learn anything if 
I want to!” boasted Stanton. 

‘^You have to prove that,” his father 
said quietly. 

That was a view of the matter that Stan¬ 
ton had not thought of. He thought him¬ 
self very smart, but was it possible that 
others would doubt that ? 

Just before two o’clock, Eosalie came in 
from school. Her eyes were bright, her 
cheeks rosy, and her lips parted in a happy 
smile. She had enjoyed the forenoon at 
school, and Lillian had walked home with 
her. 

‘^Come over to my house as soon as your 
lessons are prepared for to-morrow,” she 
had urged, and Eosalie had replied, will 
if I can.” 


98 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


She had been careful not to promise 
surely to be there, because sometimes Aunt 
Cynthia wished her to accompany her on a 
long afternoon drive. 

Aunt Cynthia was, however, going to an 
important club meeting, and Rosalie went 
to the library to busy herself with ‘‘home 
work.’’ 

She was nearly ready to go over to 
Lillian’s, and trying to complete what she 
had still to do, when Stanton rushed in, 
dropped his books and turned to rush out 
again. 

“Where you going?” Rosalie asked. 

“Out to play!” he shouted, “and wish 
I’d got out earlier. I’ve just stayed after 
school for nothing this afternoon. I 
haven’t done the old lessons, and I can’t!’’ 

He grasped the knob of the great door, 
and was about to rush out, when Rosalie 
caught hold of his arm. 



ONLY A GIRL 


99 


Don’t go out!” she cried. ‘‘Stay in 
and I’ll help you.” 

''YouV^ he said rudely. “If I can’t do 
’em, how could you, just a girl!^^ 

“Maybe I can’t,” Rosalie said gently, 
“but I’d be so glad to try,^^ 

Stanton paused, and looked at her. He 
had spoken rudely, yet she had not been 
vexed. She had only repeated her offer to 
help him. How many of his friends would 
have been as kind ? 

“What’s the use trying?” he said, but 
she knew that he was half inclined to ac¬ 
cept her aid. 

“What’s the use?” Rosalie repeated. 
“If I do help with your lessons you’ll 
go off to school to-morrow morning ready 
to recite, instead of being scolded, and if 
we, just you and I, could keep that up for 


100 


ROSALIE DARE’S TEST 


a month, you’d have a fine report card to 
bring home to Uncle Stanton.” 

A moment longer he waited, then he said 
sullenly, ‘^All right, but I guess my lessons 
are ’way ahead of what you’re having. 
You’re ’most two years younger’n me.” 

He found, however, when he and his 
small cousin sat by the library table, his 
work spread out before them, that she 
could and did help him, because, although 
so much younger than he, she was doing 
school work in advance of that which had 
so puzzled him. 

At last his lessons were all prepared for 
the morrow. 

Stanton was too stubborn to thank Eosa- 
lie for the help that she had given him, but 
he asked a question that had been puzzling 
him: 

‘^What made you stay in this afternoon? 




ONLY A GIRL 


101 


I heard Lill ask you to go over to her 
house.” 

stayed in to help you,” Eosalie said, 
quietly. 

Stanton made no answer, but he did 
what, for him, was quite a wonderful 
thing. 

^^Come out in the living-room, and try 
a new game,” he said. ‘‘I had it at Christ¬ 
mas, but I’ve never shown it to you.” 

She ran along beside him, and Stanton 
found the box and explained how the game 
was to be played. 

Eosalie was quick to learn, and soon 
they were quite excited over it, each earn¬ 
estly trying to beat the other. 

Uncle Stanton coming in a little early, 
peeped in at the two eager players. 

‘‘Well, well! I wonder what restored 
peace? For some reason my small son is 


102 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


acting like a little gentleman/’ lie whis¬ 
pered. 

He thought it best, however, to make no 
comment, so he went on to the library as 
if he had not seen the two busy players. 

He sat down in his great leather-cush¬ 
ioned chair, and tried to read, but often he 
glanced towards the living-room, and 
although from where he sat, he could not 
see the players, he could hear their voices, 
and once in a while a jolly laugh from 
Stanton, followed by a rippling echo from 
Rosalie. 

^Hf it will only last!” thought Uncle 
Stanton. 

When Aunt Cynthia came in, she peeped 
into the living-room. 

^^Your turn next!” Stanton said. 

know it,” Rosalie replied, “and I 
push my red checker three points.” 



ONLY A GIRL 


103 


Aunt Cynthia turned toward the library. 

‘‘Have you seen the children?^’ she 
asked in a whisper. 

“Yes, and I hope it will last,’’ Uncle 
Stanton replied. 

“It must be that Rosalie is just begin¬ 
ning to appreciate Stanton,” said Aunt 
Cynthia. 

“More likely she is beginning to under¬ 
stand him,” Uncle Stanton said, to which 
his wife made no reply. 

It required much coaxing, but Rosalie 
succeeded in helping him with his lessons so 
that the report-card that he brought home 
greatly pleased Uncle Stanton, and really, 
Stanton himself felt a little sense of pride 
in his scholarship. 

“Gruess I can beat a few of the fellows 
that think they know it all!” he said. 

“The fact of ‘beating’ the other pupils 


104 


B08AL1E DARE ^8 TEST 


is not so important, as the fact that you 
have gained a bit of knowledge this month, ’ ’ 
Uncle Stanton said. 

‘‘Let me help you right along?” whis¬ 
pered Rosalie, when they met in the hall, 
and Stanton nodded. 

It was provoking to admit that a girl, 
a little girl, could help him, but she had 
proved that she could, and he surely needed 
her help, so he agreed. He was glad to be 
helped. It was easier than helping him¬ 
self. 

He was not stupid, but he had never 
tried to learn, passing school hours in an 
endeavor to have what he termed “A good 
time,” and appearing at recitations with¬ 
out so much as a thought of the day’s les¬ 
sons. 

He now was nearing the head of his class, 
and he meant to hold that place. 


ONLY A GIRL 


105 


Rosalie has stirred his pride, and Uncle 
Stanton was delighted. 

Her playmates wondered why she gave 
so much time to helping Stanton. They 
knew that he had been unpleasant. 

It was natural to Rosalie to like to be 
helpful, and it was not so much for Stan¬ 
ton’s sake as for Uncle Stanton and dear 
Aunt Cynthia that she had coaxed the 
stubborn boy to accept her aid. It was 
now October, and the bright blue sky 
peeped through the golden yellow of the 
leaves. 

On her way to school one day, Rosalie 
overheard what was being said by a group 
of boys who were in the garden of a fine, 
large house. The wall was high and so she 
could not see them. 

‘Ala is trying to send me to dancing- 
school, Sat’day afternoons, but I don’t 


106 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


want to go. What do I want to be seen 
dancing around with the girls for, I’d like 
to know,” said one. 

^‘Oh, I don’t know,” said another with 
a chuckling laugh. Maybe she’d doll you 
up in a velvet suit, and buy you a big 
collar.” 

^^Be still!’’ cried the first voice. ‘^Didn’t 
I say I’d not go?” 

‘Won did not/’ was the teasing reply. 
‘Wou said, ^Why would I want to?’ or 
something like that.” 

‘‘I’ll bet Stanton will have to go, so he 
can take Cousin Eosalie,” said another 
tauntingly. 

“I guess not!” she heard Stanton declare 
stoutly. “Ma hasn’t said a word about 
it.” 

“She will, though. All our mothers are 
planning to send us, but I don’t mean to 


ONLY A GIRL 


107 


go. I don’t want to be called a sissy,” said 
another boy. 

Rosalie hurried along, but the boys com¬ 
ing out on the side walk knew that she must 
have heard. 

For just a second her eyes met Stanton’s, 
and while her cheeks were flushed, his grew 
redder still. It was true that he did not 
wish to attend dancing-school, but he 
wished that she had not heard. It looked 
a bit mean to accept gladly her aid with 
his lessons every day, and then to have her 
hear him boldly declare that he would not 
go with her. Of course, he had not said 
just that, but he knew that he had meant 
that, and he also knew that she was hurt. 

‘‘I say—Rosalie, wait a minute!” he 
called after her. 

She turned, tried to smile, and then 
hurried on her way to school. 


108 


nOSALlE BABERS TEST 


She was busy all the forenoon, and for¬ 
got Stanton’s unpleasant speech, but at 
recess one of the pupils spoke of the danc¬ 
ing-class, and several said that they were 
to join it. 

You’ll be there, Rosalie, won’t you?” 
said one, and another cried, ^^Of course she 
wiU.” 

don’t know,” Rosalie said, her cheeks 
very pink. 

^‘Why, Rosalie Dare! It won’t be any 
fun at all if you are not with us, and nearly 
every pupil in this school will be there!” 
cried Lillian Grlynn. 

‘^Aunt Cynthia hasn’t spoken of it,” 
Rosalie said, looking down at her shoe. 

Not to you, perhaps,” said Hilda Trent, 
‘‘but at the club meeting, a few days ago 
your aunt was talking with my mother and 
Mrs. Glynn and a few other ladies, and she 


ONLY A GIRL 


109 


said that you and Stanton would join the 
class/’ 

Rosalie said nothing. She thought of 
Guar da and Bert dancing so cleverly, and 
she knew that she would enjoy the lessons, 
but if Stanton were forced to go, and went 
because he dared not refuse, how unpleas¬ 
ant it would be. 

When they returned to the class-rooms, 
she soon was so busy trying, for the first 
time, to draw a map, that she soon forgot 
all about Stanton. 

Stanton, could not forget how the other 
boys had teased him, and when at recess, 
they began again to annoy him, he shouted 
angrily: 

^^Oh, can’t you fellows think of anything 
else to talk about!” but he did not again 
say that he would not go to dancing-school. 


110 


ROSALIE DARE’S TEST 


because be knew if bis father wished him 
to do so, he could not refuse. 

Stanton was not a bad boy, but he had 
been spoiled, and never curbed, nor rebuked 
when he had done or said that which might 
hurt another. Dear little Rosalie was do¬ 
ing more to make him ashamed of his 
rudeness than had ever been done before. 

He thought of the many afternoons when 
she had helped him with lessons that he was 
too lazy to prepare unaided, and then, like 
a flash, he remembered the look in her eyes, 
when he and the boys with whom he had 
been talking, had come out of that garden 
just as she was going by. 

She had not looked grieved. Instead, 
she had looked as if she had thought him 
rather mean. 

don’t care what she thinks!” he whis¬ 
pered sullenly, but he knew that that was 


ONLY A GIRL 


111 


not true. He was ashamed. He did not 
like girls anywhere, but to have one in his 
home—he still resented that! 

He felt sure that girls were of no import¬ 
ance, yet, little as Rosalie was, he wished 
that she had not had a chance to think him 
mean. 

Well, there was one thing that he could 
do. If she could think so badly of him, 
she needn’t help him with his lessons. He 
didn’t like girls, anyway, and he would get 
on without any help! 

Such were Stanton’s thoughts, but when 
after school, he sat down to do his ^^home 
work,” he found himself less smart than 
he had thought. For some reason the 
problems refused to come out right. 

Again and again he tried, becoming more 
and more impatient, until, at last in rage, 
he flung his book on the floor. 



112 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


Eosalie had gone for lunch at Lillian’s, 
had stayed a while to play, and reached 
home just in time to hear Stanton’s book 
strike the floor. 

She looked into the library, and saw that 
he was angry, and guessed the reason. 

She left her coat and hat in the hall, and 
went quietly into the library. 

Let’s do the problems together,” she 
said. 

^^You don’t have to help me just ’cause 
you’ve heen helping me!” he said bluntly. 

know I don’t have to, but I’d like to,” 
she said quietly. 

She picked up the book, took it to the 
table, and with pencil and paper, was soon 
at work. 

For a few moments Stanton watched her, 
feeling rather ashamed, then he sidled into 


ONLY A GIRL 


113 


the chair beside her, and soon he was 
closely following her busy pencil. 

There!’’ she cried a moment later. 
^‘That’s the hardest one, so now we can 
surely do the others.” 

‘‘Why did you say Stanton asked, 

curiously. didn’t do it. You did 

it.” 

Rosalie turned to look at him, then she 
looked down. 

“I thought we sounded better,” she said, 
and Stanton after a pause said, “Let me 
try the others.” 

In his heart he was thinking that she 
was generous and kind to help him, but he 
would not say so. 

With much aid from Rosalie, he man¬ 
aged to prepare his lessons for the next 
day, and while they worked together he 
thought how rudely he had spoken in the 


114 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


morning. He wondered why she helped 
him, and after a while he spoke. 

‘^What makes you help me?” he asked, 
adding; wouldn’t ’f I was in your 
place.” 

Wouldn’t you?” she asked, without 
interest. 

‘^No,” said Stanton. 

^H’d help you, the same as I’d help any 
one. I like to help,” she said. 

Stanton had hoped for a compliment, and 
was vexed when she said that she would as 
quickly help any one. 

wonder you wouldn’t try to help the 
butler,” he said. 

would if he wanted me to,” Rosalie 
said, and she laughed. 

She was not laughing at Stanton, but she 
was amused at the idea that he should think 
it mattered whom one should help. 


ONLY A GIRL 


115 


Stanton was annoyed, and took no pains 
to hide it. 

The very idea of being laughed at by a 
girl vexed him, and then, too, he was be¬ 
ginning to realize that his little cousin was, 
in some way, his superior. 


CHAPTER VI 


ms 


HERE was mucli excitement at Mor- 



M daunt Manor. The pupils were 
standing in groups before school opened, 
and all were talking of the party that Mrs. 
Langly was giving for Iris on the follow¬ 
ing week. Iris was a favorite. 

^Mt can’t be a large party,” Iris ex¬ 
plained, “because our house isn’t large, 
but Mother says I may invite twenty this 
time, and a little later in the season, I 
can have another party, and invite twenty 
others.” 

Every one liked Iris Langly. She was so 
full of Life, so bright and cheery. Her blue 


116 


IRIS 


117 


eyes were always twinkling, and her curls 
were always bobbing, because she could not 
keep still. 

There will be some fine things to en¬ 
joy at my party, but I’m not to tell what 
they are,” Iris said, just as the bell rang 
for them to take their seats, and she 
laughed because there was not so much as 
a moment left for the boys and girls to 
tease her, and try to make her tell. 

Lillian Glynn and Hilda Trent would be 
there, and Rosalie, of course, and Lillian’s 
brother, Merwin, and Charles Winton, and 
Brant Erling, and—Stanton Gifford would 
be invited, although no one could guess if 
he would be there, because it was well 
known that Stanton did as he chose, but 
who could say what he would choose to do ? 

When the invitations arrived, Stanton 



118 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


promptly said that he did not care to go, 
because there would be girls there. 

There’s to be a wonderful treat for the 
girls and boys,” ventured the butler who 
had heard what Stanton had said. 

^‘How do you know?” Stanton asked. 

Because a man I know is catering for 
that little party, and he says that spread 
will be a ^ dr earn’!” 

‘^Maybe I’ll go,” muttered Stanton, who 
was rather greedy. 

When the night of the party arrived, 
Stanton had decided to go. 

It was a short distance to the Langly 
house, and as soon as the two children were 
seated in the car, Stanton hastened to say: 

‘‘You get out first, Eosalie, and run up 
the steps, and when you are in. I’ll get out, 
and be slow enough getting to the door so 


IRIS 


119 


that the boys won’t think we came together. 
They tease so.” 

Rosalie turned to look at him, as she 
often did when he spoke rudely, and as 
usual no anger shone in her soft brown 
eyes, only a look of surprise that any one 
should care to be so very unpleasant. 

Stanton felt abashed. 

The chauffeur opened the door, and 
Rosalie sprang out, a lovely figure in white 
with pink rosebuds, and pink satin slip¬ 
pers. Nimbly she ran up the steps, where 
she was welcomed by the boys and girls 
already there. 

Quickly she ran to where Iris, in blue 
gauze with iris blooms, stood beside her 
mother to greet her friends. 

A few moments later Stanton entered, 
and was at once captured by those of the 
boys who enjoyed his rough and tumble” 


120 


ROSALIE OARERS TEST 


manner of playing outdoor games. 

He did not speak to Iris, or her mother 
who had invited him, because he thought it 
too much bother. 

Eosalie did not miss Stanton because she 
was having such a fine time that she quite 
forgot him until Hilda asked: 

Where’s your Cousin Stanton, Eosalie? 
Didn’t he come?” 

^^He said he was coming,” said Eosalie, 
for that was all that she dared to say. 

To be sure, he had ridden over with her, 
but she had not seen him come in. How 
could she know that some sudden impulse 
had not made him turn and go home? 

There he is over in that corner, with 
three other boys,” said Merwin Glynn. 

Mrs. Langly had engaged fine entertain¬ 
ers, and soon the children were laughing 
with delight at the jugglers, and magicians 



Nimbly she ran up the steps.— Page 119. 









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IRIS 


121 


who did clever balancing acts, and mysteri¬ 
ous tricks. 

There was an excellent reader, and a 
charming singer. 

Next were some pleasing games led by 
Iris, and then they marched out to the 
dining-room, where they fully enjoyed a 
delicious banquet. 

Stanton had pretended to be bored with 
the jugglers, and he had loudly boasted that 
he could do any of the tricks that the per¬ 
formers had done. 

That was but a silly boast, for he well 
knew that he could do nothing of the sort. 

After the little feast had been fully en¬ 
joyed, an orchestra that had just arrived, 
began to play for dancing. 

Stanton could not dance, because he had 
always stoutly refused to learn. He stood 
apart watching them. Boys and girls kept 


122 


EOSALIE DABE^S TEST 


time to merry music, and at first he thought 
it very silly, but after a time he began to 
feel as if, instead of remaining out of the 
fun of his own accord, he had been left 
out. 

When the other little guests were saying 

Good-night” to Iris and her mother and 
assuring them that the party had been de¬ 
lightful, Stanton with his usual lack of 
courtesy, rushed upstairs for his overcoat 
and cap, raced down again, and ran down 
the street. 

The Gifford car stood waiting for the two 
cousins, and the chaufieur called loudly to 
Stanton, but Stanton shook his head and 
kept on running. 

^^They won’t see me riding home with a 
girl!” he muttered as he raced on home¬ 
ward. 

Eosalie, turned on the porch to wave her 


IRIS 


123 


hand to Iris, then she ran down the steps, 
and entered the car. 

‘‘Master Stanton went home on foot,’’ 
said the chauffeur. “I guess he preferred 
to, for when I called to him, he just looked 
at me, and started off at top speed down 
the street.” 

Rosalie nodded, hut said nothing. 

“It’s a shame fer a lad ter treat a little 
lass like that,” muttered the chauffeur. 
“Who’d ever believe he belonged to decent 
folks, and him so rude!” 

“Why, Stanton, where is Rosalie?” his 
mother asked when he ran up the steps, and 
in at the door that Blanford held open. 

“Oh, she’ll be along soon. She’ll come 
in the car,” was the careless reply. 

“I wish you would be kind to Rosalie,” 
said Aunt Cynthia. “Your father is never 
rude to any one.” 



124 


ROSALIE BARE^S TEST 


‘^Oh, well—I don’t like girls. You knew 
that when you invited her here,” Stanton 
said in a surly tone, adding, ‘‘and you 
never said I was rude, or that you didn’t 
like things I did, until since she’s been 
here,” he added, resentfully. 

“I never saw you act as you have since 
Eosalie came,” said his mother. 

“Well, I’ve told you the reason.” 

“She is a little cousin to be proud of,” 
said Uncle Stanton, who, sitting in the 
library, had heard the conversation, and 
even as he spoke, Eosalie entered, her 
cheeks flushed, and her eyes very bright. 

“Oh, such a lovely party!” she cried, 
“and every one was so dear, and the games, 
and the dancing were fine!” 

^‘BancingV^ said Stanton in disgust. 

“A person is apt to look rather stupid, 
if others of the party are dancing, while he 


IBIS 


125 


stands busily doing nothing!” Uncle Stan¬ 
ton said with a light laugh, and then he 
turned to Stanton. 

A week from Saturday, at two o’clock 
in the afternoon, the children’s dancing- 
class will open, and you, Stanton, will be 
one of the pupils enrolled,” he said. 

^^Aw, pshaw! Why should I want to 
go?” whined Stanton. 

^^It is a part of your education, and it 
is of no use, whatever, for you to coax to 
be excused.” 

While watching the dancers at the party, 
Stanton had felt a bit inclined to learn, so 
that he might at any party, join the dancers 
instead of being only an on-looker. 

Now that his father insisted, Stanton be¬ 
came stubborn, and decided that he would 
not join the class. 

He told himself he would run away 


126 


ROSALIE DARE’S TEST 


rather than join that class. He even 
thought of hiding and wondered where they 
would be least likely to search for him. 

On the morning after the party, Lillian 
and Merwin were talking of Rosalie. 

love Rosalie dearly, and I don’t see 
how her Cousin Stanton can be so hor¬ 
rid.” 

‘^Lillian!^^ Mrs. Glynn said gently, but 
firmly. 

^^Oh, I know you think it isn’t nice when 
I speak like that, but truly. Mother, if you 
had been at the Langly house, and seen how 
he acted, you wouldn’t think I said too 
much,” Lillian replied. 

‘^Mother, he was as rude as a chap could 
be. He stood watching the dancers, and if 
any one came near him, he’d say how silly 
he thought it was to skip around to music,” 
Merwin said. 


IRIS 


127 


^^Mr. Gifford and Ms wife are charming, 
and I believe Stanton could have been 
trained to be courteous and agreeable,” 
said Mrs. Glynn. 

‘^His mother thinks him quite charming 
as it is,” Merwin said, ^^but no one else 
does.” 

‘‘And at the party he wouldn’t join in 
any of the games, he said the entertainers 
were stupid, and we told you what he said 
about the dancing,” said Lillian. 

“There was one thing he did enjoy and 
that was the supper. He rushed past all 
of us and so was the first at the table, and 
he was the last to leave it, ’ ’ said Merwin. 

It was time to start for school, and Mrs. 
Glynn watched them as they walked up the 
street together, and wondered what they 
were laughing about. 

She was proud of her boy and girl. 


128 


no SAME DARE’S TEST 


‘‘You know Rosalie told us that Stanton 
Gifford’s mother wanted him to join the 
Saturday dancing-class, and that his father 
said that he must,” Merwin was saying. 

Lillian nodded. 

“Well, I believe I can make him join!” 
declared Merwin. 

“Why, Merwin! You know he said 
dancing was silly,” cried Lillian. 

“Silly or not, I almost know he’ll join. 
I’m ’bout sure I can make him willing, yes, 
eager to!” 

“What will you do?” Lillian asked, her 
blue eyes full of wonder. 

“Just wait till you hear what I say to 
him!” Merwin said, laughing. 

They were just in time for school so there 
was nothing for Lillian to do but wait. 

She knew that urging Stanton would be 
useless, and she could not think what Mer- 


IRIS 


129 


win’s plan might be, or why he felt so sure 
that it would work, and then she became 
so busy with her lessons that she forgot all 
about it. 

After school she was standing with Rosa¬ 
lie, Iris, and Hilda when Merwin came 
towards them. Stanton, leaning against a 
tree-trunk was looking rather sullen. 

He had made few friends at the public 
school, so was usually alone. 

Charlie Winton and Brant Erling saun¬ 
tered along after Merwin. They had been 
asked to, and when the three boys were near 
enough for Stanton, and nearly all the 
others to hear, Merwin, Charlie, and Brant 
began to talk about the dancing-class. 

“Going to join the class, Stanton?” 
Brant asked. 

“I may, and I may not,” was the sullen 
answer, “I think it is—” 


130 


ROSALIE BARE^S TEST 


‘^Oh, weVe heard you say that, over and 
over again, but we all know that’s not the 
real reason that you don’t care to join the 
class, Stanton,” Merwin said, his eyes 
twinkling. 

^‘What do you mean?” Stanton asked 
rudely. 

mean you’re afraid to try it for fear 
you’ll find that you can’t learn!” 

‘^Who says I can’t learn?” roared Stan¬ 
ton. 

^^Well, I don’t really say that you posi¬ 
tively can^t learn,” said Merwin, ^‘but we 
fellows think you’re afraid to try.” 

^^Aw, I can learn anything I want to!” 
declared Stanton. 

‘‘We hear what you say, but we’re not so 
sure,” said Brant. 

“Who couldn’t learn to dance?” grum¬ 
bled Stanton. 


IRIS 


131 


‘‘We think maybe you couldn’t/’ said 
Merwin. 

“You’ll find out I canV^ cried Stanton, 
his eyes determined and angry. 

“How are we to know?” Charlie said 
with a provoking chuckle. 

“Because I’ll prove it to you fellows 
Saturday afternoon!” said Stanton. 

“Better not try it,” advised Merwin, and 
Stanton, flushing to his hair, fairly shouted: 
“I’ll be there to show you, and nobody 
could stop me now!” 

“He’ll be there!” Merwin said, as they 
walked toward home together. 

“He will,” said Brant, “and he expects 
to be a wonder.” 

“Maybe he will, but that isn’t saying 
whether he’ll be a gawky or a graceful won¬ 
der,” Merwin said, “but it isn’t likely that 


132 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


any of us will do any fine work the first 
day.” 

Saturday was a bright, sunny day, and 
the hoys and girls arrived at the little hall 
promptly. There were a few new faces, 
but the greater number of boys and girls 
were pupils at Mordaunt Manor. 

Madam Claire had been given permis¬ 
sion to use the hall at the manor, and a 
charming place it was for a dancing-class. 

Rosalie was one of the first to arrive, but 
Stanton was much later. He had not in¬ 
tended to go with Rosalie, but he could not 
have done so if he had wished to, because 
he was not half ready when she left the 
house. 

His clothes had been carefully chosen for 
him, and with the suit he was satisfied, but 
he objected to the blouse, and took out 
three others, tossing first one and then the 


lElS 


133 


other aside, finally selecting the first one. 

He fussed with his tie, he fussed with his 
pumps, and wriggled and twisted to see 
every inch of himself in the glass. A mo¬ 
ment he stared, and then, evidently satis¬ 
fied, he snatched his cap and overcoat, and 
hurried out and up the street. 

He expected to be greeted with ill-con¬ 
cealed amusement by the boys, but they 
took no notice of his arrival, so intently 
were they listening to what the teacher was 
saying. 

Stanton listened, and when the boys and 
girls tried the first simple steps, he did 
quite as well as the others. 

He was an attentive pupil. 

The boys had said that perhaps he could 
not learn to dance, and he was determined 
to prove to them that he could. 

When Madam Claire, later in the after- 


134 


ROSALIE DARE’S TEST 


noon asked the boys to choose partners, 
Stanton chose a quiet-looking little girl 
whom he did not know, because she looked 
so timid that he thought she would not 
dare to speak if he were awkward. 

Stanton’s face was very red. He had 
asked the little girl to dance, and he soon 
realized that while he moved around very 
well when Madam Claire guided him, he 
had no idea how to guide the little girl. He 
was just thinking that it was lucky that he 
had chosen a meek-looking girl who would 
not dare to say a word about his awkward¬ 
ness, when, turning clumsily, he trod 
heavily on her toe. 

^^Oh, you perfectly awful boy!” she 
cried, and when reproved by Madam, she 
tearfully replied, ‘‘Well, how can I help 
saying he is awful, when he’s tramped on 
my foot?” 


IBIS 


135 


Madam thought it just the time for a 
little talk on courtesy. 

‘^It is always right to he kind, and any 
person who is truly kind can not be rude,’’ 
she said. ‘^Stanton did not, of course, in¬ 
tend to hit Marie’s foot, hut having done 
so, he should have said that he was sorry, 
and Marie should not have spoken so 
sharply to him. 

‘^Try bravely to smile when an accident 
happens, and when a partner makes an 
apology, be sure to accept it kindly.” 

The hoys and girls were sure that Madam 
Claire must be right, but they thought her 
rules of courtesy might sometimes be hard 
to obey. 


CHAPTER VII 


STANTON, JR. 


A unt Constance was puzzled by the 
letters that came to her from Rosalie. 
Bruce, dear, I do not understand why 
Rosalie writes as she does,’’ she said one 
morning during breakfast ^^Just listen to 
this loving little letter, and then see what 
you think.” 

^H’m all attention,” declared her hus¬ 
band, and he listened while she read. 

^‘Now, Bruce, her letters are interesting, 
and very well written for such a little girl, 
but while she tells us of her progress at 
school, of the girls and boys whom she met 
during her visit last winter, and of the 


136 


STANTON, JB. 


137 


new friends that she has met this season, 
and describes her good times that she is 
greatly enjoying, she leaves us still won¬ 
dering whether her cousin, Stanton is treat¬ 
ing her kindly, or whether he is almost un¬ 
bearable,” Aunt Constance said. 

‘‘Here we are in California with all that 
distance between us, and we can’t know 
if she is really happy or not,” she con¬ 
tinued. 

“Have you asked her?” ventured Uncle 
Bruce. 

“Well, not exactly,” said his wife, “but 
in every letter I’ve written, I’ve said, ‘Tell 
us something about Stanton,’ or ‘Is Stan¬ 
ton a pleasant playmate?’ but Rosalie does 
not answer directly, and that makes me 
wonder. She told me in one letter that he 
had left the private school, and had come 
home, but she did not say why. 


138 


BOSALIE DARE ^8 TEST 


^^When she speaks of him at all, she 
usually says it in one sentence near the end 
of the letter. 

^^Once she wrote, ^Stanton is at home 
with a cold, and I am helping him with his 
lessons so that he can keep up with the 
others. ’ 

‘‘Another time she wrote, ‘Stanton and 
I went to the fine party IVe just told you 
about. I had a lovely time’.’’ 

“If Rosalie said that she had a lovely 
time, that tells me that Stanton kept away 
from her, and she was enjoying games, or 
the dancing with agreeable little friends,” 
said Uncle Bruce, with a laugh. 

“I’ve been wondering whether he is be¬ 
having well, or if instead, he is acting so 
badly that Rosalie can’t begin to describe 
him,” said Aunt Constance. 


STANTON, JE, 


139 


On the following day a wee note arrived, 
written evidently in haste: 

^‘Deak Aunt Constance:— 

‘‘I’ll have just time to tell you that Stan¬ 
ton isn’t like what Aunt Cynthia sed. He 
dusn’t teese me much. I go to school, and 
am with the other boys and girls so much 
that he dusn’t have a chanse very often. 
When I do see him, he is acting some bet¬ 
ter than he did at furst, but he is—I guess 
I’ll say a queer boy. I don’t like to say 
anything worse than that, but he truly 
isn’t the least bit like a angel, I’m having 
a lovely time, and he doesn’t spoil it at 
aU. 

“Love to you and Uncle Bruce, 

“from 

“Your own, 

“Eosalie.” 

“P. S. I could not say all this in my 
uther letters, for Aunt Cynthia makes me 
let her see every one, so she can tell me if 
any words are not spelled right.” 

“Well, Bruce, what do you think of 
that?” Aunt Constance said. 

“I think Cynthia wonders if our Eosalie 


140 


ROSALIE BABERS TEST 


writes kindly of Stanton. Rosalie feels 
that she should answer your often-asked 
questions, so she has written, and mailed 
this little note to you. I thinly she has made 
the facts quite clear. Do not question her 
now when you write. I am sure that we 
understand her position in the Gifford 
home. Stanton and Cynthia love Rosalie 
and are doing their best to make her 
happy, while Stanton, Junior is not trying 
to add to her pleasure, but is, as Rosalie 
tells us, ‘acting some better than he did at 
first.’ ” 

Aunt Constance smiled happily. 

“I believe you’re right,” she said. 
“Rosalie tells us that Stanton does not 
spoil her pleasure, and for that I am 
thankful.” 

Rosalie’s letters were eagerly read when 



STANTON, JR, 141 

they arrived, and treasured and re-read 
afterwards. 

The weeks sped swiftly, and soon the 
little pupils at Mordaunt Manor were talk¬ 
ing of the holidays, the week’s vacation, and 
of gifts that they already were planning. 

don’t know what I’m to have for 
Christmas gifts,” Rosalie said, ^^but there’s 
one thing I do know, and that is that I’ll 
like every one of them!” 

‘^How do you know, if you haven’t seen 
them?” a small girl asked. 

^^Oh, because I always do,” Rosalie re¬ 
plied. ‘‘People always send me the loveli¬ 
est things!” 

“Rosalie Dare, it is you that are lovely, 
and you like all your gifts because you 
mean to like them!” said Lillian. 

“That’s true,” said Iris, “Rosalie means 


142 


ROSALIE BABERS TEST 


to like her gifts, just as she means to like 
people.’’ 

do like ’most everybody, and some I 
love,” Eosalie said, smiling at the puzzled 
faces of her playmates. 

They wondered that she loved so many. 

Outdoors the white feathery flakes were 
whirling in the wind, but the schoolroom 
was warm and cheery, and Eosalie, skip¬ 
ping from one foot to the other, was the 
cheeriest thing in the room. 

The pupils had been permitted to enjoy 
recess indoors, as many had preferred, a 
few of the boys, only, choosing to brave the 
north wind that so noisily whistled around 
the corner. 

^^Come over to my house this afternoon, 
Eosalie, will you? I so wish you would,” 
said Lillian. 

‘^I’U have some ‘home work’ to do this 


STANTON, JR. 143 

afternoon/’ Rosalie replied, ‘^but I’ll come 

to-morrow afternoon.” 

^^All right,” Lillian said, but could not 
help wondering why Rosalie was to be so 
busy preparing lessons for the next day. 

After school, Rosalie hurried towards 
home, while Iris walked along with Lillian. 

‘^I don’t see why Rosalie had so much 
lesson work to do to-day,” Lillian said, ‘^I 
thought the lessons for to-morrow were 
easier than those we had to-day, and to¬ 
morrow is Friday. There’s Saturday to 
work on Monday’s lessons.” 

^‘Rosalie wouldn’t have to do much home 
work, if her own lessons were all that she 
had to prepare. It’s helping Stanton that 
makes it take all afternoon,” said Iris. 

‘‘I wish he’d do his own work,” said 
Lillian, ‘‘so we could have Rosalie with 


144 


ROSALIE BABERS TEST 


Eosalie was willing, especially for Uncle 
Stanton’s sake, to help with the lessons that 
her cousin found it hard to prepare, but 
often she thought it a bit unfair that Stan¬ 
ton left his work for her to do, for that is 
really what he did. 

Sometimes when she tried to explain 
why she did a certain thing, he, instead 
of listening patiently, and trying to do the 
problem, would push paper and pencil to¬ 
wards her saying, ‘‘I hear all you say, but 
you understand it, so you do it.” 

When Eosalie reached home, she found 
that Aunt Cynthia, as usual, was out, and 
she ate a lonely lunch, served by the tall 
butler, who saw that she was trying bravely 
to be cheerful, while in truth, she was 
lonely. 

With Aunt Constance she had never been 
lonely, because she had gone with her when¬ 
ever it was possible, and dear Aunt Con- 


STANTON, JB. 145 

stance had so loved Rosalie that she had 
made but few engagements when the little 
girl could not be one of the party. 

Aunt Cynthia belonged to so many clubs, 
and had so many interests that it was won¬ 
derful that she ever lunched at home. 

Stanton raced home at noon, devoured a 
hearty lunch, snatched his books, and 
bolted out again to join the boys, and play 
until school time. 

Rosalie could not have lunch until two 
o’clock, and so with Stanton at school, and 
his mother at one club or another, Rosalie 
had come rather to dread coming home 
from school. 

She sat at the great table, with Blan- 
ford behind her chair, serving and watch¬ 
ing her, and thinking that it was too bad 
for so sweet a child to be so much alone. 

Rosalie was thinking of what dear Aunt 


146 


ROSALIE LABELS TEST 


Constance had said, that a whole season at 
Aunt Cynthia’s would be quite different 
from a two-weeks’ visit, reminding her that 
because the time was limited, many pleas¬ 
ures had been crowded into the two weeks. 

^^You surely would not be going to the 
theatre, concerts, or parties every day if 
you were there for the season, and days and 
weeks might often come between your 
pleasures,” she had said, ^^but you will 
have your school, and many little friends, 
and I hope you will be very happy.” 

Eosalie sighed, and slipped from her 
chair, and Blanford whispered softly: 
‘^The dear, patient little lass,” and watched 
her as she crossed the hall to the library. 

Her own home work was soon done, and 
she began to wonder why Stanton did not 
come. 

She tried to play the piano, but she soon 


8TANTON, JB. 


147 


tired of that, and taking a book over to the 
window, she sat on the cushioned window- 
seat, and tried to read, but she could not 
find a story that interested her, and when 
Uncle Stanton came in he found her, still 
sitting there, looking out with wide, sober 
eyes, at the people who passed the house. 

‘‘Alone, Rosalie?’’ Uncle Stanton cried 
in surprise. 

“Yes,” she said, with a catch in her 
voice, and then the tears came. 

He sat down, and placing his arm around 
her, drew her toward him. His eyes were 
very kind. 

“I didn’t mean to cry,” said Rosalie. 

“I didn’t know I was going to.” 

“When did you get home from school, 
dear?” he asked gently. 

“A few minutes after two,” she replied. 


148 


ROSALIE BABERS TEST 


^^When did your Aunt Cynthia go out?’’ 
was his next question. 

^^Oh, she didn’t go out and leave me,” 
said Rosalie. ‘^She wouldn’t do that. It’s 
just that she didn’t come in at all.” 

^^H’m,” remarked Uncle Stanton, ‘^and 
how about Stanton?” 

^‘Well,” said Rosalie, ‘‘he hasn’t come 
home from school yet.” 

“I see,” said Uncle Stanton, “and so our 
little girl sat here alone until when I came, 
her tears came, too.” 

“I didn’t mean to cry,” she said again, 
“but it was seeming more lonesome every 
minute, until I thought I couldn’t stay 
alone one second longer, and then you came, 
and I was so glad that I cried.” 

“H’m,” murmured Uncle Stanton, as 
he held Rosalie still closer, and just then 
Aunt Cynthia came in. 


STANTON, Jit. 


149 


‘‘Such a wonderful meeting at our club 
this afternoon/’ she said, “and the sub¬ 
ject was one that so interested the ladies. 
It was a meeting to make plans for foreign 
children who come to our large cities and 
towns and really suffer from loneliness, 
and we intend to find these lonely children, 
and appoint certain ladies to visit them, 
and cheer them.” 

“A fine idea, and one of which I heartily 
approve,” said kindly Uncle Stanton, “but 
while you ladies are hunting the dingy 
streets of our city for lonely children, be 
sure that you have not left a lonely child at 
home. Eosalie has spent this entire after¬ 
noon, watching for you and Stanton, and 
she had no one to speak to until I came 
home at five.” 

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Eosalie,” said Aunt 
Cynthia, “but we were all talking so earn- 


150 


EOBALIE BABERS TEST 


estly that I forgot all about you, dear. 
And where is Stanton?” she asked, eagerly. 

don’t know,” Rosalie said. ‘‘He 
hasn’t come home since school.” 

“You often go over to Lillian’s, and I 
supposed that you were with her,” said 
Aunt Cynthia. 

“Lillian wanted me to be with her, but 
I stayed home to help Stanton with his 
lessons, but he didn’t come,” Rosalie said. 

“There must be plans made, and matters 
so arranged that Rosalie will have no after¬ 
noons like this,” Uncle Stanton said, and 
Aunt Cynthia nodded as if agreeing. 

Dinner was always served promptly at 
six, and just a few minutes before that 
hour, Stanton came in, and rushed up¬ 
stairs to make himself a bit more present¬ 
able at table. 

“Been out with the boys,” he remarked, 


STANTON, JR. 


151 


as he ran up the stairs, as if that clearly 
explained his absence. 

Uncle Stanton believed that cheer should 
prevail at the table, so he said nothing 
more about the afternoon, and the dinner 
passed pleasantly, Stanton seeming some¬ 
what uneasy, however, and peering at times 
first at Eosalie, then at his father. 

Eosalie chattered gayly. She was no 
longer alone, and she told of the wind that 
had whistled around the schoolhouse, of the 
fiakes that had touched her cheeks, and 
once she turned toward Stanton. 

stayed in so we could do ^home work’ 
together, Stanton,” she said. 

For a moment he hesitated, then he said, 
‘‘I won’t have to do any lessons to-night. 
The other boys said to-morrow’s lessons 
were to be easy.” 

‘‘It is rather careless to trust to what 


152 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


some one says,” said Ms father, but Stan¬ 
ton tried to look as if he had not heard. 

After dinner, young Stanton, in the li¬ 
brary listened while his father strove to 
convince him that it would look much better 
if he tried to make a few pleasures for 
Rosalie in return for many afternoons that 
she had remained in to help him with his 
lessons. 

^‘Aw, pshaw! I didn’t ask her to help 
me,” he cried. ^^She can do the problems 
easy enough, so she helped me. could 
have done them alone.” 

Could you?” said his father. ‘‘That is 
fine. For the next week, we will let Rosa¬ 
lie be free to spend the afternoons as she 
likes, and you can do your home work, and 
have the pleasure of proving that her aid 
was wholly unnecessary.” 


STANTON, JR. 


153 


Stanton said nothing, looking down at 
his shoe, and listening without the least 
show of interest. 

If he cared, he did not show it, and when 
they left the library, Stanton went up¬ 
stairs to his room. 

Aunt Cynthia had brought home a new 
book for Rosalie that delighted her, and 
bending her curly head over its clearly 
printed pages, she enjoyed the stories, 
pausing only when she turned a page and 
found a lovely picture. 

Aunt Cynthia looked often towards 
where Rosalie sat with the lamplight shin¬ 
ing on her curls, and she resolved to plan 
many pleasures for her little guest. 

In his room, Stanton sat thinking. 
Rather ugly thoughts they were, and his 
face was not pleasant to see. 

He had been sent up to his room to de- 


154 


ROSALIE LABELS TEST 


cide if he had been as kind to Rosalie as 
he should have been, and to work upon 
his lessons, even though he had been told 
that they were ^^easy.’’ 

A long time he sat thinking, a far-away 
look in his eyes, and then, rousing him¬ 
self, he picked up one of the books that he 
had flung upon the bed, and glanced at the 
pages marked for study. 

A moment later he tossed it back again, 
landing it where he had found it. 

can’t bother with it,” he said. Guess 
I’ll go to bed.” 


CHAPTER VIII 


AT THE GKEAT BRIDGE 

S TANTON said nothing about his 
studies at school, and Rosalie believed 
that he was doing good work. 

She spent afternoons with Iris and 
Lillian, sometimes at their homes, often at 
her own. Aunt Cynthia had told her to 
have her little friends at lunch with her as 
often as she chose. 

Once Lillian’s brother Merwin came, 
and she noticed how well he appeared, 
while her Cousin Stanton, had he been 
there, would have been rude and greedy. 

Blanford, serving Rosalie and her 
friends, was very happy, and he and the 


155 


156 


E08AL1E BARE ^8 TE8T 


cook planned to serve dainty lunches that 
would make the little guests long to come 
again. 

^^Sure, an’ it’s meself will cook the finest 
things for the little lass! It’s not often I 
see her, but whin I do, me heart warms to 
her sweet smile, an’ the nod of her curly 
head. Once she pattered down the stairs 
to the kitchen ter bring me a letter that had 
just come from Ireland, an’ then she 
perched on a ol’ wooden stool an’ read me 
her letter that came all the way from 
Californy, an’ herself lookin’ all the time 
loike a little fairy wid them soft eyes, an’ 
her curls, the swate little thing.” 

‘‘She is a sweet child,” said Blanford, 
“and sometimes when I see how rude Mas¬ 
ter Stanton is to her, I wish I had the 
right to shake him.” 

“Oh, the young rascal,” said the cook, 


AT THE GREAT BRIDGE 


157 


his mother thinkin’ him an angel! 
Well, his father understands him, but men 
ain’t so foolish as the women.” 

‘‘That’s rig'htV^ declared Blanford, with 
a hearty laugh. 

“Don’t take that as incloodin’ yerself!” 
cried the cook, “for ye well know yer Eng¬ 
lish, an’ I wasn’t shpakin’ av Englishmen!” 

Blanford was not vexed, for well he 
understood the cook and her gift of speech. 

It was early in December when on a 
Saturday afternoon, Stanton did not ap¬ 
pear at the dancing-class. 

He had gone out soon after breakfast, 
and had not returned, when the lunch hour 
came. 

“Do you know where he went?” Aunt 
Cynthia asked, but Eosalie had not the 
least idea. 

“He said something when he rushed 


158 


BOSALIE DABE^S TEST 


across the hall, just as I was going up¬ 
stairs,” said Rosalie, ‘‘but I didn’t hear 
what he said.” 

“O dear! I wish I could sometime, no, 
always know where he is,” said Aunt 
Cynthia. 

“Rosalie, he is so dear to me, that I am 
always worried when he rushes out like 
that, and stays so long away.” 

Aunt Cynthia helped Rosalie to dress for 
the dancing-class, remarking as she tied the 
ribbons of her slippers, “I was intending to 
go over with you and Stanton to Mordaunt 
Manor to see you two dance together.” 

“Oh, we never dance together,” Rosalie 
said. 

“You never dance together!” cried Aunt 
Cynthia. “Do you mean that, Rosalie?” 

“Oh, surely, Aunt Cynthia,” Rosalie 
said, and Aunt Cynthia looked amazed. 


AT THE GREAT BRIDGE 


159 


^‘And why is that?’’ she asked. 

‘‘Stanton always asks some one else to 
dance with him, and I dance with any one 
that asks me,” Rosalie said. 

She was well pleased that it always hap¬ 
pened thus, for Stanton was very clumsy, 
and always blamed his partner for any 
mistakes that he made, while many of the 
other pupils with whom she danced were 
pleasing partners. 

“If he doesn’t come in soon, he will be 
very late at the class. If he comes at once 
he will be a bit late,” Aunt Cynthia said, 
“so you may as well run along, dear. It 
would take some time to get Stanton ready, 
but you have plenty of time to walk along 
without having to hurry. I shall stay in 
and help to get him ready—if he comes in 
in any sort of time,” and as she sat looking 
from the window after Rosalie had gone. 


160 


BOBALIE DARE ^8 TEST 


she wondered vaguely if she had always 
been too easy with Stanton. 

‘^IVe never taught him to obey,” she 
murmured, ‘‘and now he really is too much 
for me to manage.” 

When Rosalie returned she found Aunt 
Cynthia still at the window watching. 

It happened that Uncle Stanton, usually 
so prompt, was late to dinner. 

Rosalie sat beside Aunt Cynthia at the 
window, longing to comfort her, yet not 
knowing what to say. 

“Stanton has stayed out lots of times. 
Aunt Cynthia, and come in late to dinner, 
but you always find that nothing has hap¬ 
pened to him,” she ventured, and just at 
that moment Uncle Stanton came in. 

“Hello, folks!” he cried cheerily, then: 
“Why, what’s happened, Cynthia? You 


AT THE GREAT BRIDGE 


161 


look as if you feared an earthquake, and 
even Rosalie is not her jolly self.’’ 

^^I’m so worried about Stanton. He 
went out this morning, and he hasn’t been 
home since,” Aunt Cynthia said, still look¬ 
ing from the window. 

Rosalie, her eyes wide and frightened, 
crept close to Uncle Stanton. 

“She thinks something has happened to 
him!” she whispered. 

Some one came along whistling, and 
Aunt Cynthia threw up the window. 

“Brant!” she called, “Brant Erling!” 

The boy stopped, then as she beckoned, he 
ran up the steps. 

Aunt Cynthia ran to the door. 

“Have you seen Stanton any time to¬ 
day?” she asked, “I am so anxious, I’ve 
not seen him since morning.” 


162 


ROSALIE BARE^S TEST 


^^1 saw him about five o’clock down near 
the bridge,” the boy replied. 

“Down near the bridge!” Aunt Cynthia 
repeated. ^^Down in that horrid neighbor¬ 
hood. What in this world could he be 
doing there? Was he alone?” 

“He was with some rough-looking chaps, 
bigger than he,” said Brant. 

“But what was he doing persisted 
Aunt Cynthia. 

“I don’t know what he was planning to 
do, but when I saw him, the roughs had 
gone along the narrow shore under the 
bridge, and were calling to. him, jeering. 
I couldn’t see them, but Stanton was 
crouching on his hands and knees. 

“Want me to look him up? I’d be glad 
to do that for you,” Brant added, moved by 
the fear in her eyes. 

Racing off without waiting for her per- 



AT THE GREAT BRIDGE 


163 


mission, he hurried along the main street, 
turned into a side street that led to the 
river and the great bridge. Not far from 
the bridge lay Stanton Gifford, just as he 
had seen him over an hour before. 

^^Hi! Stanton, what’s the matterhe 
shouted, but hearing no reply, he went 
nearer. 

say! What’s the matter?” he re¬ 
peated. 

Stanton moaned. 

^ ‘ Hurt ? ’ ’ Brant asked. ^ ‘ Here, I ’ll help 
you,” but Stanton winced. 

can’t get up. Don’t touch my arm, 
Brant. I guess it’s broken, and my knee 
is twisted.” 

^^Say, Stan, I’ll be right back,” said 
Brant, and without waiting to hear what 
Stanton was trying to say, he ran back at 
top speed to the Gifford home. 


164 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


‘‘He’s still down by the bridge,” cried 
Brant, as Uncle Stanton opened the door, 
“and he’s hurt. You’ll have to take your 
car, but I don’t know how you’ll get him 
in, for his arm is hurt and he wouldn’t let 
me touch it, and he says his knee is twisted, 
too.” 

A famous surgeon lived near, and fortu¬ 
nately he was in. He rode with Uncle 
Stanton, with Blanford, in case he might 
be needed, and they were soon at the great 
bridge. 

I 

Stanton declared that he could not be 
touched, but the surgeon paid no heed, and 
directing Blanford, the two picked him up 
as if he had been a baby, and soon they 
were home, Stanton groaning all the way, 
and crying out sharply when they lifted 
him to carry him up the steps. 

Aunt Cynthia, crying, and declaring that 



2s'OT FAK FROM THK BRLDOK LAY SXANTON GiFFOKD .—Page 163. 


% 











AT THE GREAT BRIDGE 


165 


she knew that something had happened, 
was wringing her hands and plying Stanton 
with questions. 

^‘Now, madam, you must pardon me if 
I say that he is suffering too much to an¬ 
swer questions now. You must wait until 
he is comfortable, and that means wait 
some time,’’ the surgeon said, and Stanton 
was carried up to his room, while Aunt 
Cynthia was compelled to remain down¬ 
stairs. 

Rosalie, her eyes full of sympathy, 
clung closely to her, holding fast to her 
hand. 

‘^Rosalie, you’re just a little comfort,” 
she said. don’t know what I should do 
without you.” 

‘^I’m only loving you, and being sorry,” 
Rosalie said. wish, oh, how I wish 
there was something I could do.” 


166 


ROSALIE LABELS TEST 


‘‘You are doing, dear. You are comfort¬ 
ing me,’’ Aunt Cynthia said. 

When those who had carried him up¬ 
stairs returned to the living-room. Aunt 
Cynthia learned that Stanton’s arm was 
broken, and his knee badly wrenched. 

“And he doesn’t say how it happened?” 
Aunt Cynthia asked. 

“No, and I insist that you do not ques¬ 
tion him at present. I have set the arm, 
and have treated the knee, and a nurse will 
best know how to care for him and follow 
my directions,” the surgeon said firmly. 

“But I am his mother, and I want to 
care for him,” wailed Aunt Cynthia. 

“The fact remains that a woman trained 
for the work will be far better able to at¬ 
tend to him, and for a few days you must 
keep away from his room. He is suffering 
under a nervous strain, and when he is 


AT TEE GREAT BRIDGE 


167 


ready to tell you all about the happening, 
I am sure that he will ask for you. Just 
now he does not care to talk.’’ 

A week slipped by, Rosalie going to 
school, but giving her afternoons to Aunt 
Cynthia, Uncle Stanton coming home at 
night, and trying to make dinner a cheery 
meal. 

Stanton was beginning to eat very well, 
and Aunt Cynthia was glad of that, but 
she was worried by something that the 
nurse had said. 

‘‘His arm and knee are getting along 
as well as could be expected,” she said, 
“but it is his gentleness that surprises me. 
He does just as I tell him, without com¬ 
plaining. I never attended a boy who was 
such an easy patient to care for.” 

Aunt Cynthia looked surprised, but said 
nothing. She wondered why so painful an 


168 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


accident should have rendered Stanton 
gentle and easily managed. 

One Sunday afternoon he sent for them. 
He wanted them all to come up to his room, 
and when they entered, a quiet smile gave 
them welcome. 

How different he looked from the sullen¬ 
faced boy that they had always seen. 

‘^Please don^t ask any questions,” he 
said, ^^for I’m tired, but I want to tell you. 
I was not doing very well at school after I 
said that Rosalie needn’t help me, but I 
wouldn’t say so, and I didn’t want to go 
to dancing-class, so I made up my mind to 
run away. I’d been looking at a model of 
an old pirate ship in an antique-store win¬ 
dow, and some rough-looking chaps came 
along beside me, and began to talk about 
the days when there were pirates on the 
sea. They had been reading some pirate 


AT TEE GREAT BRIDGE 


169 


stories, and were planning to go out as soon 
as they had enough money they said. 

could go now, if I wanted to,’ I 

said. 

^Aw, who says you could?’ one of them 
sneered, and that made me mad, and I took 

• vm 

out my money to prove what I’d said. 

^Well, we’re going,’ the biggest boy 
said, ‘and we’ve got the boat, so if you want 
to pay that to us, you can go along.’ 

“I thought of school, and I went along 
with them to the bridge. 

“There was no one passing, no one in 
sight when I handed over the money. They 
got into the boat, and let me just step on, 
when the big boy kicked my arm, and I 
knew it must be broken, and when I fell 
headlong, I twisted my knee. That’s all, 
except that I’m ashamed that I was silly 


170 


ROSALIE BABE’S TEST 


enough to trust them, and—^that I’m sorry 
I’ve worried you. 

^^I can do better after this, I’m sure. 
I promise to try. That’s aU.” 

^^That is a great deal, my boy,” said 
Uncle Stanton. “I’m sorry that you had 
to have such a painful lesson, but you’re 
mending now, and we’ll do all we can to 
make these indoor days less tedious.” 

“And there’s one thing more that I 
meant to say, and that’s to Rosalie,” re¬ 
sumed the boy. 

“You did help me, Rosalie, and I 
wouldn’t say I needed your help, but I’ll 
say it now. I did. Oh, I thought of lots 
of things while I lay out there by the 
bridge. I was hurt, and I learned there 
how much I needed you all.” 

'' Stanton, my boy, when any one reaches 
a place where he can say he is sorry for 



AT THE GREAT BRIDGE 


171 


anything that he has done, he need not be 
ashamed, for he is bigger, and better than 
he has ever been before. For the first time 
I am proud of you, Stanton.’’ 

‘‘I’ll mahe you proud!” cried Stanton. 

“But we’ve loved you all the time,” said 
Aunt Cynthia. 

“I’ll help with your lessons so you won’t 
get behind at school,” Rosalie said eagerly, 
“and I’ll read to you Stanton, or play any 
games that you can play with one hand.” 

“That will be fine!’’ Stanton said, and 
with a new light in his eyes he lay back 
against his pillow, and the nurse coming 
in, said that he must rest. 

It was a happy family that talked of 
Stanton at dinner. 

“If you could find a new game that he 
would need only one hand for, I’d play 
it to amuse him, until he was tired of it. 


172 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


We can play one that he now has, and 
then, when he tires of that, we can take 
out the new one.’’ 

‘‘You are a good little friend, Rosalie, 
and I think Stanton begins to realize it, 
but you must not stay in every day. The 
nurse reads to him, and you and Aunt 
Cynthia can take turns in relieving her,” 
Uncle Stanton said. 

“I’d be willing to stay in every day if it 
would help Aunt Cynthia. She has to go 
to so many club meetings,” Rosalie said. 

“The clubs will have to do without me 
for a time,” Aunt Cynthia said smiling. 

“I feel happier because Stanton seems to 
be improving,” she continued, “and I be¬ 
lieve we can make his home weeks cheer¬ 
ful.” 

“We certainly can,” agreed Rosalie, “for 
already I’ve thought of ever so many 


AT TEE GREAT BRIDGE 


173 


things that I can do all myself. I mean no 
one will have to show me how.’’. 

‘‘We never have to show you how to be 
kind,” Uncle Stanton said, “and I have 
thought of a plan to give him variety. 

“On the days that the nurse reads to 
him, you, Cynthia, shall play games with 
him until he wants to go to sleep. 

“On the days that Rosalie plays games 
with him, I’ll read to him in the evening 
until he is sleepy.” 

They all agreed heartily to this plan. 


CHAPTER IX 


HOLIDAY plans 

T he four members of the Grifford 
borne bad learned mucb by young 
Stanton’s accident. 

Stanton bimself bad learned tbe value 
of bis borne, and knew bow foolish be bad 
been ever to tbink of leaving it. 

His father bad learned that bis boy pos¬ 
sessed finer traits than be bad ever shown. 

His mother bad learned that if she bad 
been firm with him, be would have been 
a better boy, and dear little Rosalie bad 
learned that she could tbink of more ways 
of cheering dull days than she bad ever 
thought possible. 


174 


HOLIDAY PLANS 


175 


Sucli pleasant tales Eosalie told the cook 
of Stanton’s bravery and patience that 
dainty treats were cooked to make a nice 
little surprise on the tray with the food that 
was carried to his room, and a strange little 
look appeared on Stanton’s face each time 
that he saw them. 

One night when an extra dainty treat 
reached him he said: 

‘‘She makes me remember that I never 
spoke decently to her,—but I’ll have a 
chance to, after this.” 

Eosalie came home from Lillian’s one 
afternoon with three books that her brother 
sent for Stanton to enjoy. 

“It certainly is dull to be kept in,” Mer- 
win said, “and these books of adventure 
might amuse Stanton. I couldn’t tell 
which of the three I liked best when I’d 
read them. I’m sure he’ll like them, and 


176 


ROSALIE BABERS TEST 


if he does, tell him, Rosalie, Ill lend him 
others, and come over and stay a while 
when I bring them. I’d be glad to take my 
turn reading to him.” 

‘‘Oh, thank you,” cried Rosalie, “Ill 
tell him, and hell be so pleased.” 

And Stanton felt ashamed when he re¬ 
membered how often he had been blunt and 
rude to Merwin Glynn. 

It was becoming colder, and already 
plans were being made for Christmas, that 
Stanton hoped to enjoy. 

His knee had so improved that it was 
now nearly well. With care, he could walk 
about his room, and by Christmas time 
he would be able to go downstairs, and 
that would be a change and a treat. 

Other people were busily planning for 
Christmas, and out in a prosperous town, 


HOLIDAY PLANS 


177 


many miles from Uncle Stanton’s home, 
Aunt Blanche Davenport, was talking of 
holiday gifts, and at the same time giving 
her opinion of various things. 

Aunt Blanche considered her opinion 
valuable, and Uncle Corliss was patiently 
listening. Uncle Corliss always listened. 

Their young daughter Claire was reading 
a book, often pausing to listen. 

don’t understand, Corliss, why I 
should have to wait so long for a letter 
from Cynthia. Even if we’re not own 
sisters, we were married at about the same 
time, and surely belong to the same 
family.” 

She had asked no question, so her hus¬ 
band merely nodded. 

‘‘I wrote three weeks ago to invite 
Eosalie to spend the holidays with us.” 

Uncle Corliss nodded again, but also 


178 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


ventured to remark that Rosalie was rather 
young to take such a long trip alone. 

That’s what I think!” said Claire. 
‘‘She’s just a child!” 

Uncle Corliss laughed heartily. 

“Well, Claire, what are you but a child?” 
he asked. 

“She’s only seven,” Claire said, adding 
with a toss of her head, “while I am 
twelve.” 

“You are still a child, Claire,” Uncle 
Corliss said, “so it is well to be a sweet 
child.” 

“I’m not a baby,” said Claire. 

“Neither is a girl who is seven years 
old,” said Aunt Blanche. “Don’t be 
absurd, Claire. % 

“Now, Corliss, listen to me,” she con¬ 
tinued. “I didn’t ask Rosalie to come 


HOLIDAY FLANS 


179 


alone. I invited Cynthia and her husband, 
and young Stanton to come with her.’’ 

^^That perfectly horrid boy!” cried 
Claire. ^^Well, I should hope they 
wouldn’t answer, and say they’d all come!” 

‘‘Why, Claire! It’s only a few days ago 
that you said that a Christmas party would 
be jollier than just we three to enjoy the 
day,” Aunt Blanche cried in surprise. 

“Well, my idea of a party was to invite 
eleven boys and girls of my own age to be 
here,” said Claire, “and I thought that 
would be fine! I’m twelve, and there’d be 
twelve at the party.” 

“That is your idea for Christmas, 
Claire?” Uncle Corliss said. 

“Now my idea would be to have a cele¬ 
bration wherein your mother and I could 
enjoy the day with you, for of all holidays 
I think that Christmas should unite the 


180 


ROSALIE DARE’S TEST 


family. If a few relatives, some of our 
age, and younger ones for you, could be 
with us, it should mean pleasure for all.” 

Claire said nothing, but one could see 
that she did not like the plan. 

still think that Cynthia should write 
to me,” Aunt Blanche said, and the next 
morning the longed-for letter arrived. It 
opened thus: 

^^Deak Blanche: 

^^I thank you for your kind invitation, 
but it is impossible for me to accept. My 
small son is just recovering from an acci¬ 
dent, the pain of which he has borne like 
a martyr. Bear little Rosalie has been 
such a help in reading to him, and in other 
ways amusing him so that his weeks in¬ 
doors have been happier, that I can not 
express my gratefulness to her. 

‘‘This time Stanton is a hero. 

“He has improved wonderfully during 
these weeks.” 

There followed a few lines describing the 
wonderful patience, gentleness, and general 


HOLIDAY PLANS 


181 


loveliness of young Stanton’s nature, at 
wMch Uncle Corliss was so unkind as to 
laugh heartily. 

He had seen the boy three times. Once 
when he was five, next when he was seven, 
and again when he was eight. 

‘‘Cynthia certainly has a wonderful idea 
of her son,” said Uncle Corliss, when he 
could stop laughing long enough to speak. 

“Hero! Hero! My senses! The last 
time she wrote he was ‘a little angel,’ she 
said. I was out there when he was five 
years old. It was a business trip, and I 
spent about an hour there. Stanton showed 
some of his loveliness during that hour. 
He emptied the goldfish bowl out of the 
window, leaving the poor little goldfish 
gasping on the lawn. Fortunately the 
maid was able to save them. 

“He tied two soft, silken portieres to- 


182 


ROSALIE LABELS TEST 


gether for a swing, and roared like a lion 
when they came down and caused him to 
fall and bump his head, and the remainder 
of my call was made pleasant by his loud 
bawling because his fond mother would not 
give him a large, round silver bowl to 
beat upon for a drum. 

‘^The next time I was there he was seven, 
and not at all improved. I dined with 
them, and the youngster shouted for an 
entirely different dinner from that which 
was served. Cynthia ordered the butler to 
have the cook prepare it for him, and when 
it was ready, the young rascal looked it 
over, and ate what he liked. Potato not 
pleasing him, and pieces of the meat that he 
did not care for, he angrily threw down up¬ 
on the beautiful rug. Cynthia, by way of 
excuse for him, said that his appetite was 
so dainty, so delicate, and his taste so fine 


HOLIDAY PLANS 


183 


that he could not endure some foods that 
ordinary children would enjoy. 

told her that it would cure some of 
his notions if he were made to go hungry 
for one day, but you know Cynthia. She 
said that I was heartless.’’ 

^^The next year, when he was eight, you 
were again at Cynthia’s,” said Aunt 
Blanche. 

^^Yes, and I was there less than a half- 
hour. When I looked for my hat, the 
crown had been jammed flat between two 
heavy books, and I had to borrow one of 
Gilford’s so that I could do down-town and 
buy a new one. Oh, if Stanton was a 
gentle little angel then, think what he could 
do now, if he is strong enough to be a 
hero!^^ 

Uncle Corliss was greatly amused by the 


184 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


letter, and even his wife smiled at his jolly 
laughter. 

the accident has made him really 
patient and brave, I am glad of it,’’ he said, 
^^but when I think how much room there 
was for improvement, I feel that I’d have 
to see him now to understand,” and he 
laughed again. 

must be making out my list of gifts,” 
said Aunt Blanche, ^‘and what can I send 
to Stanton. I don’t know what he could 
enjoy indoors.” 

^^Send him a book,” ventured Claire. 

^^And what do you wish to send?” Aunt 
Blanche asked. ^^He is your cousin, you 
know.” 

don’t know,” Claire replied, ^^but the 
only time he was ever here, he pulled my • 
hair, and said that girls were horrid, and 


HOLIDAY PLANS 


185 


that made me mad, and I said, ^So are 
boys!’ ” 

^^Tou should be careful, Claire. If you 
said that, then you were as rude as he,” her 
father reminded her. 

‘‘Oh, no,” said Claire, “because I didn’t 
pull his hair.” 

Claire was a favorite at school, and 
rather a pleasant girl in the classroom, or 

out at play. She was inclined to be gener¬ 
ous, and she was bright and lively. Only 
at home did she seem selfish, the place of 
all places where one should be generous and 
kind. 

It happened that another aunt and uncle 
were talking of Christmas and Eosalie. 

There had been a snowstorm, and the 
Curtis farm house, its big barn and sheds, 
its apple-trees, and the stone wall that they 
overhung, looked as if winter had brought 
them fiuffy white furs. 


186 


ROSALIE DARE’S TEST 


Aunt Lucia, with dinner on the table 
was looking out towards the barn. 

uThere’s Jason now, right on time, as 
usual. My, what a fine thing it is to have 
a man that is always prompt.” 

He stamped the snow from his boots, 
and his kindly eyes twinkled. 

^‘Always seems good to see you looking 
for me, Lucia, ’ ’ he said. 

They took their places at the table, and 
while they ate, he told bits of village news 
that he had heard at the post-office. 

^^Oh, and here’s a letter for you. Guess 
it’s from Cynthia by the looks of the writ- 
mg.” 

Aunt Lucia read it aloud. It was much 
the same as the one that Aunt Blanche had 
received. 

Aunt Lucia had thought it would be fine 


HOLIDAY PLANS 


187 


to have Rosalie at Christmas, and invited 
the Giffords to come and bring her. 

^‘Well, I would like to have Rosalie 
here,’^ Uncle Jason said, ^^but I did think 
it quite a chore to have to endure Stanton, 
Jr., in order to see her. Last time he was 
here, ’twas summer time, an’ he chased 
the cows until I chased him with a pitch- 
fork. That stopped him. Of course I 
wouldn’t have touched him with it, but he 
didn’t know that. 

^^Why, the cat lived up in a tree the three 
days he was here and wouldn’t come down 
till she was sure he’d gone, and I didn’t 
blame her. I felt like doing the same. 

reckon the thing to do to be sure of 
being peaceable is to plan to be where 
Stanton 

^‘Now, Jason, I oughtn’t to laugh at you. 


188 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


but what you said is the truth, so how can 
I find fault?’’ 

^^Sure you can’t, Lucia, but say! What 
does Cynthia mean by calling that boy a 
^Tfiero^V^ 

‘‘Oh, I don’t know,” was the quiet reply. 
“Cynthia has always been a puzzle to me. 
She always had a habit of using large 
words, and calling any one that she cared 
for by some high-sounding name or title. 
I wonder she didn’t call him a prince.” 

“Guess ’twould fit Stanton ’bout as 
well,” Uncle Jason said, dryly. 

And while relatives guessed, and won¬ 
dered, and talked, things were progressing 
very comfortably at the Gifford home. 

Plans for Christmas were holding the at¬ 
tention of all, Stanton, for the first time 
seeming interested. 

The year before he had been away at 



HOLIDAY PLANS 


189 


private school, and had not returned for 
the holidays at home. 

His knee was nearly well, now, and, with 
care, he could use his arm and hand. 

Often, when he was reading, he would 
pause, and seem to be thinking, thinking. 

It had been tedious staying indoors. 
Sometimes the days had seemed endless, 
but surely every member of the household 
had tried to help him, and friends had 
done their part. 

^‘And what have I ever done for any 
one?’’ he said one day, and Uncle Stanton 
hastened to say, ‘Ht is never too late to 
begin.” 

know it,” Stanton said in a low 
voice, ^^and that’s what I’ve been think- 
ing.’ 

‘^You might plan a gift for Kosalie,” 
Uncle Stanton said, ^^for surely she has 


190 


ROSALIE DABE^S TEST 


been your ‘Little right-hand 7nan/ She has 
given many, many hours to amusing you, 
and helping you with lessons, when she 
might have been out at play.’’ 

“She’s been a regular trump!” said Stan¬ 
ton. “Let me choose a gift for her, and I’ll 
write on a card to go with it: 

“To Rosalie Dare: A Regular Trump!” 

Uncle Stanton laughed heartily at the 
rough compliment for dainty Rosalie. 

“I think you and I could go down-town 
in the car to-day and choose the gift, Stan¬ 
ton. What do you say?” 

“Hoo-ray!” shouted Stanton so loudly 
that Aunt Cynthia coming in, hastily 
covered her ears with her hands. 

“We two gentlemen are going to take a 
little trip down-town,” said Uncle Stan¬ 
ton, “and it being a business trip, no ladies 
can go with us.” 


HOLIDAY PLANS 


191 


‘‘Do you think it quite fair to leave the 
ladies of your party out?^’ Aunt Cynthia 
asked laughing, “or are there a few secret 
holiday errands to be done?’’ 

“Oh, we’re not telling, are we, Father?” 
said Stanton grandly. 

Aunt Cynthia laughed and hurried away 
to tell Rosalie. 

It was the first time that her husband 
and small son had shown an intimate feel¬ 
ing. 

During the long, slow mending of his 
injuries, Stanton had, for the first time 
learned to know the worth of his father’s 
love and regard. He had also learned that 
it was her love for him that had made his 
mother blind to his faults, and with long 
hours to think, he had acquired a poor 
opinion of himself, and had resolved that 


192 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


many things beside his injured arm could 
be improved. 

^^IVe never wanted to give presents be¬ 
fore,” he said, ‘‘but now it seems as if I 
could not give enough.” 


CHAPTER X 


CHKISTMAS CHEER 

I T was surprising to see what a keen in¬ 
terest Stanton felt in all that related to 
the holidays. 

Neither the hoy nor his father could be 
coaxed to tell what they saw, where they 
went, or what they did during the down¬ 
town trip. 

‘‘Oh, we saw millions of things, and we 
bought some, but there wasn’t room enough 
in the car to take home all we saw, so we 
only chose what the car could bring!” Stan¬ 
ton cried, laughing as he thought what fun 
it had been “shopping” with Father. 

For weeks Aunt Cynthia had been think- 


193 


194 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


ing of something that she had not men¬ 
tioned. That was remarkable, because 
Aunt Cynthia usually told her latest plans 
as soon as they occurred to her. 

Eosalie was writing to Uncle Bruce, 
pausing while she tried to remember how 
to spell a word that she wished to use. 

Stanton, looking from the window, was 
wondering how long it would be before he 
could venture out safely on slippery side¬ 
walks. 

It was holiday vacation, and the days 
seemed long to the boy who had always 
been active. 

Aunt Cynthia peeped in, and rightly 
guessed that it would be just the time to 
propose something new. 

‘^IVe another plan to make Christmas 
very delightful, and I am sure that you 
two children will like it,’^ she said. 


CHRISTMAS CHEER 


195 


always enjoy our gifts early on Chirst- 
mas morning, and then comes the question 
of afternoon and evening. The hoys and 
girls have been so kind to you and Rosalie, 
that I think we should plan something de¬ 
lightful for them.’’ 

‘^That’s what I’ve been thinking,” said 
Stanton, in a low voice, ^^but that is as far 
as I get. I’ve not yet thought what to do.” 

^^We could not give a large party, be¬ 
cause your arm and knee are not yet able 
to endure a crowded room full of active 
boys and girls, so I’ve decided that the 
party be planned in this manner: 

‘^Let us make it a little party of twenty 
boys and girls to attend a fine Christmas 
matinee, then return with us for a good hot 
dinner, and spend the evening with games, 
and later ice-cream, cakes, fruit, nuts, and 


196 


ROSALIE DARE ^8 TEST 


candy? Would you enjoy that Stanton? 
Would you, Rosalie?’’ 

^^The very thing!” cried Stanton. ‘‘I’ve 
never tried to help entertain folks. I 
never wanted to, but—oh, I don’t know just 
why it is, unless it’s because every one has 
been so generous, I feel I’d like to now, and 
if the first part of the party is at the 
theatre, that fixes that much of it, and 
when we get home it will be easier to talk.” 

“That will be a wonderful party,” said 
Rosalie, “and if there will be just twenty 
in all, that means eighteen besides us two.” 

“That’s it,” said Stanton, “Nine boys 
and nine girls, and we can choose them 
from those that we’ve known and always 
liked.” 

Then Stanton stopped—, his father 
laughed, and Stanton saw the joke in what 
he had just said. 


CEEI8TMAS CEEEB 


197 


‘^Aw, pshaw! I mean the boys I like 
best and the girls that Rosalie likes best. 
I don’t know any girls, so I’ll not help 
choose them.” 

The list of guests was quickly made, and 
the invitations sent, and all were promptly 
accepted. 

Christmas dawned bright, crisp, and 
cheery. Parcels containing gifts had been 
arriving all the week, and now, oh joy, 
they could be opened! 

From Uncle Bruce and Aunt Constance 
Rosalie received a locket and chain. There 
was a tiny garnet, set in the center of the 
locket. 

She was delighted, and at once clasped 
it around her neck. 

Uncle Stanton and Aunt Cynthia gave 
her a muff and neck-piece of the lovely 
.white fox, and from Stanton, Jr. a silver 


198 


ROSALIE DARE’S TEST 


chain and clasp to fasten the fur about 
her neck so that she could not lose it. 

She was delighted and could hardly wait 
to ^‘try on’’ the beautiful furs. 

‘^Such lovely gifts!” she cried. ‘‘Such 
wonderful gifts!” 

“Do you like mine9^^ Stanton asked 
anxiously. 

“Oh, how could I help liking it?” 
Rosalie cried, “The dear little silver chain 
that will hold my fur collar fast, and I’m 
so surprised,” she added, “because I never 
dreamed that you would choose a gift for 
me.” 

She said it so gently that he could not 
feel vexed, but he did feel ashamed to 
think that he had seemed so ungrateful for 
her help and kindness that she was amazed 
to receive a Christmas gift from him ! 
What a rude boy he must have been! 


CHRISTMAS CHEER 


199 


Rosalie had given him the gift of all 
gifts for an active boy, a book of wonder¬ 
ful adventure tales, and he was delighted. 

Aunt Blanche sent a fine lace handker¬ 
chief to Rosalie, and a silk handkerchief 
to Stanton. 

She had thought of finer gifts, but, as 
usual, her small daughter, Claire had de¬ 
manded such costly things, and so many 
of them that others to be remembered re¬ 
ceived less expensive presents than those 
that she had first chosen. 

Aunt Lucia Curtis had knit some soft 
white mittens for Rosalie, and a pair of 
seal brown ones for Stanton. 

^^Say, Rosalie! These mittens will be 
great for snowballing,’’ declared Stanton, 
^‘and your white ones ought to look fine 
with your white furs.” 

^‘They will,” agreed Rosalie, “but I’d 


200 


ROSALIE LABELS TEST ’ 

wear them even if they looked awfully, be¬ 
cause Aunt Lucia knit them, and I just 
know she knit them lovingly.’’ 

Stanton looked puzzled. 

After a moment he asked: 

‘^If they’d been pink-and-orange striped, 
would you have worn them? Would you 
have liked to wear them?” 

His eyes were dancing, and his voice 
was teasing. 

wouldn’t have liked wearing such 
awful colors,” Rosalie said, slowly,—‘^but 
if some one loved me enough to make them 
for me, I’d wear them!” 

‘^She would, wouldn’t she. Father?” 
Stanton said. 

‘‘She surely would,” Uncle Stanton said 
gently, “because Rosalie is true.” 

“7’m going to be true,” declared Stan- 


CEBISTMA8 CHEER 


201 


ton, and his father, laying his hand on the 
boy’s shoulder, said firmly: 
believe you, my boy.” 

When two o’clock arrived, the little 
guests were all present at the theatre, and 
in their seats. 

How bright, how full of life they seemed! 

Kosalie sat between Lillian and Iris, 

/ 

and Stanton between Lillian’s brother and 
Brant Erling, the two boys that he liked 
best. 

The music was bright and lilting, the 
costumes full of color, and the dancers 
never had seemed so graceful as on this 
afternoon. 

How the children laughed and chattered 
when they left the theatre, and clambered 
into the waiting cars that would take them 
to the Gifford home! 


202 


ROSALIE DARE’S TEST 


Stanton was the gayest of the party. He 
knew, for the first time, the joy of giving 
pleasure. He looked eagerly at the happy 
faces, listened to their joyous laughter, and 
he wished that his party might last for 
weeks, instead of a few hours. 

He wondered what had so changed him? 
Why had he never cared to make others 
happy ? 

^Ht’s Rosalie’s coming here to stay with 
us. She’s made me ashamed to be mean 
or unkind,” he said, to himself. She’s a 
trump! A good little friend if she is only 
a girl.” 

It was true that Rosalie had been patient, 
and eager to help him to bear the tedious 
weeks indoors. 

There was another cause for the change 
in the boy who had been so heedless and 
selfish. 


CHE18TMA8 CHEER 


203 


There had been long hours when he could 
only read, or lie and think, and during the 
days of suffering, he could not help realiz¬ 
ing how generous, how very thoughtful, 
how kind every one had been to him. 

A sense of shame filled his heart, and he 
resolved that just as soon as he was well, 
he would strive to be as kind, as generous, 
as friendly toward all as his father was. 

mean to be like Father, when I grow 
up,’’ he whispered to himself. 

The house was brightly lighted as the 
cars drew up at the curb, and the little 
guests raced up the steps and in at the 
door that Stanford opened wide for them. 

When wraps had been cared for the but¬ 
ler announced that dinner was served, and 
in the great dining-room they gathered to 
enjoy a feast. 

Roast turkey, chicken patties, plain salads, 


204 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


followed by plum pudding, small cakes and 
macaroons, hot chocolate, and other good 
things disappeared as if by magic. 

Soft music swept out through the hall, 
and the children slipped from their chairs, 
and hurried to the great living-room. Yes, 
there were musicians making fascinating 
music. Soon the boys chose partners, and 
gayly they skipped to the lively melodies. 

Stanton, watching them, resolved to 
learn to dance. He saw no fun now in 
being an on-looker. 

After several numbers had been en¬ 
joyed, Mrs. Gifford stepped out into the 
center of the room, and lifted her hand 
for silence. 

have a treat for you all,’^ she said, 
invited two young dancers to come here 
ito-night, and they have just arrived. Now 
if you will all be seated, we will watch 


CHRISTMAS CHEER 


205 


them as they give their first number, ‘A 
Spanish Dance,’ in costume.” 

The children quickly drew back to the 
sides of the room, and the orchestra played 
the first measure of a Spanish waltz. 

Then—Rosalie leaned forward and 
caught her breath. 

^^Guarda!” she whispered, ‘‘Guarda and 
Bert I” 

Eagerly the children watched the grace¬ 
ful movements of the dancers, but Rosalie 
watched more earnestly than the others. 
She knew Guarda and Bert, she had played 
with them. Now, she was proud of them! 

When their dance was finished they ran 
off, returning in Scotch costume for the 
‘‘Fling,” and after that they dressed in 
Italian costumes, and gave the “Taran¬ 
tella.” 

The boys and girls applauded with wild 


206 


ROSALIE BARE ^8 TEST 


delight, and after Guarda and Bert had 
slipped into their evening costumes, they 
returned to the living-room to enjoy the 
games with the others. 

Rosalie ran to Guarda, and threw her 
arms about her, and Uncle Stanton and 
Aunt Cynthia were delighted to find that 
Rosalie already knew the two clever danc¬ 
ers. 

It happened that Uncle Stanton knew 
Guarda’s father, and when Aunt Cynthia 
said that she intended securing some en¬ 
tertainers that children would enjoy. Uncle 
Stanton at once thought of his friend’s 
little daugher. 

Stanton found Bert and questioned him. 

^^I’ve always said a boy who would dance 
was a ^sissy,’ but I didn’t know what I was 
talking about. You’re a regular fellow, 
Bert, and your dancing was great. Say, 


CHRISTMAS CHEER 


207 


do you think a chap—^well, any fellow,—I 
mean do you s’pose I could learn such 
dances as those that you did?’’ 

‘^Sure you could,” Bert said, heartily, 
‘‘and if you care to learn them. I’ll teach 
you. What do you say? I’ve six pupils 
now, and I’m looking for more. Guarda 
has some girl pupils. I teach boys.” 

“Wait till I ask Father,” cried Stanton. 

He returned with an eager smile. 

“Father says I must go to the regular 
class Saturday afternoons, but he will pay 
you well for private lessons on the fancy 
dances, and pay Guarda the same to teach 
my cousin, Rosalie.”' 

Uncle Stanton joined them. 

“Well, young man, Stanton tells me 
you are teaching. That’s right, my boy. 
That shows ambition. Now, let us talk 
business. How about Saturday mornings ? 


208 E08AL1E BABE*8 TE8T 

I’ll send the car for yon and Guar da, be¬ 
cause that will save time for you, and 
will also send you home.” 

He named a generous price. ‘‘Would 
you young teachers be satisfied with that*?” 
he asked. 

“We’ve never dared ask so much,” Bert 
said, honestly.” 

“That being the case, call Guarda here,” 
Uncle Stanton said. 

Guarda came running, and Bert told her 
of their good fortune. 

“I shall expect you to make Stanton and 
Eosalie work,” said Uncle Stanton. “The 
doctor has told us that Stanton must con¬ 
stantly exercise, to rid his injured foot and 
leg of stiffness, and he suggested dancing, 
so you, Bert, will be aiding the doctor and 
my Stanton at the same time.” 


CHRISTMAS CHEER 


209 


‘‘And I’ll be glad to help, you are so 
generous to us,” Bert replied. 

New games were proposed, and the boys 
and girls enjoyed them with a will. 

Stanton stood apart from them, watch¬ 
ing the fun. He was a bit afraid to join 
the others, lest his arm might be pushed so 
as to harm it. Rosalie ran to him, think¬ 
ing that he was lonely. 

“What are you thinking of, Stanton?” 
she said, “Wishing you could play?” 

Stanton turned. 

“I was thinking that there’s not one boy 
or girl here that hasn’t done something for 
me while I’ve been shut in, and I’d like to 
thank them, but I don’t know how to.” 

“Tell them that, Stanton. Tell them 
that!” cried Rosalie. 

He hesitated and his cheeks grew very 
red 



210 


ROSALIE DARE’S TEST 


Without another word, Rosalie darted 
away to the center of the room. A game 
was just finished and she held her hand 
high above her head, as a signal for silence. 

The children stared. 

^‘My cousin, Stanton wants to say some¬ 
thing to you all, so please be still just a 
minute.’’ 

She ran back to where Stanton stood 
abashed, and snatching his hand, she 
dragged him forward. All listened in¬ 
tently while the boy who had been so ill- 
mannered said, hesitatingly: 

just want to thank you, every one of 
you for the fine things you’ve done for me 
while I had to stay in. I couldn’t tell you 
in a month how much I thank you, and,— 
oh, I can’t begin to tell you. I guess that’s 
all.” 

‘‘Spoken like a man, Stanton, boy. I’m 
proud of you,” said Uncle Stanton, who 



“Tell them that, Stanton. Tell them that! ”— Page 209 
















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CHRISTMAS CHEER 


211 


now stood beside him, his hand on the boy’s 
shoulder, his eyes shining. 

‘‘So am I,” said his mother, who knew if 
she had asked him to do the same thing, he 
would not have done it, but Eosalie could 
make him ashamed to refuse to do a kind 
or proper thing. 

Brant Erling gave the signal and the 
boys and girls gave three rousing cheers 
for Stanton Gifford. 

Stanton’s eyes were shining with hap¬ 
piness, and the quick tears that filled them, 
but the big lump in his throat would not 
let him speak, so he gave them a nod and a 
smile, but Eosalie was not quite satisfied. 

Again she lifted her hand. 

“Stanton’s glad you cared to cheer him, 
but he can’t say a word, ’cause there’s a 
big lump in his throat that he’s trying to 
swallow.” 


212 


ROSALIE DARE’S TEST 


t 


Dear little Eosalie. She would not have 
Stanton misunderstood. 

He was trying to do better, to be kind and 
considerate of others, and wished his 
friends to know it. 

After a delicious treat of ice-cream, sher¬ 
bet, fruit, nuts, and all sorts of bonbons, 
the little guests said good-night, said it 
had been a wonderful party, and went home 
tired, but very happy. 

never knew what fun it would be to 
give a fellow’s friends a good time,” Stan¬ 
ton said, when they were alone. 


CHAPTER XI 


THE LITTLE PORTRAIT 

I RIS and Lillian came over to see Rosalie 
the next morning, and what a delight¬ 
ful time they had talking of the party, and 
eagerly they talked of Guarda and Bert. 

<<Th^y are Guarda McLean and Berton 
Russell,” said Rosalie, ^‘but I call them 
Guarda and Bert.” 

‘‘Madam Claire doesn’t teach fancy 
dancing, but you and Stanton will come to 
the Saturday-afternoon class won’t you?” 
Lillian asked anxiously. 

“Oh, yes, we’ll be there, and in the morn¬ 
ing Guarda and Bert will be with us,” 
said Rosalie. “I can hardly wait for 
Saturday to come. 


218 


214 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


‘‘Uncle Stanton says that our school 
lessons must be well prepared, so we can 
enjoy Saturday, for if we neglect our school 
work, we must give up our dancing, so you 
may be sure well do all our home work so 
as to get good marks at school.’’ 

“Come over to my house,” said Lillian, 
“That is what I came for. I want you and 
Iris to see the funny old costumes that have 
just come from my great-aunt’s old home. 
Some of them are over a hundred years old, 
and some are what ladies wore, and some 
are little girls’ dresses, and there is a 
boy’s suit with a droll little coat and cap.” 

“Oh, may we try them on?” cried Rosa¬ 
lie. “Will your mother let us?” 

“She said we might,” Lillian replied. 

They waited for no urging. 

They raced along the sidewalks as if 
there were a chance that the ancient cos- 


TEE LITTLE PORTRAIT 


215 


tumes might run away before they could 
arrive at Lillian’s home. 

In an upper room Mrs. Gdynn had spread 
the quaint garments on the bed, and eagerly 
the three little friends examined them. 

There was a rose-colored brocade that 
delighted them. Silver vines and crimson 
roses were wrought on the pink satin, and 
such a long train lay on the floor! 

There was another gown of green velvet, 
with lovely old lace, and a blue silk trimmed 
with gold lace. There were hats with long 
plumes, quaint bonnets trimmed with rib¬ 
bons and roses, satin slippers, and quaint 
fans with carved ivory sticks. 

Two dresses, just the size for Iris and 
Lillian, one pink, the other primrose yel¬ 
low, and the boy’s suit! White trousers, a 
blue jacket with brass buttons, and oh, such 
a funny cap! 


216 


B08AL1E BABERS TEST 


‘^Let me try on the boy’s things?” said 
Kosalie, so wonder how I’d look in 
them. ’ ’ 

‘‘You ought to look like a nice little 
boy, with your short brown curls under 
that cap,” Lillian said, and Rosalie lost 
no time in slipping out of her own clothes, 
and into the white trousers, the white 
blouse, blue jacket with its big, shining 
brass buttons. 

“Why, Rosalie Dare, you cute little 
boy!” cried Iris. 

“Put the cap on, Rosalie!” said Lillian, 
and the cap completed the picture. 

“Now, wait till I get into this yellow 
dress, and I’ll be your sister Daphne,” said 
Iris. 

“Why did you choose that name?” Rosa¬ 
lie asked. 

“I didn’t choose it,” Iris replied. “Mrs. 


TEE LITTLE PORTRAIT 


217 


Glynn said that the boy who once wore that 
suit was called Gerald Glynn, she thought; 
but she was sure his sister was Daphne, and 
she wore these dresses.” 

^^The hoy’s name was ‘Gerald,’ like your 
brother’s name,” said Eosalie, “and while 
I’m wearing this suit I’ll play that my 
name is Gerald, too.” 

“The boy had one sister, but we’ll just 
‘make-believe’ he had two,” said Lillian, 
“so I’ll wear this pink dress, and what will 
you call me ? Oh, I know. There are some 
old portraits in the hall, and one, a little 
girl is called ‘Dorinda,’ and I’ll be little 
Dorinda.” 

They walked up and down the long room, 
primly erect, the two dressed as girls tak¬ 
ing mincing steps, Eosalie, as “Gerald,” 
tr3dng to take longer steps, marching along 


218 


ROSALIE DARE’S TEST 


with such long strides that she looked as if 
she felt decidedly important. 

They were wondering what sort of games 
the children of a hundred years ago played, 
when steps approaching made them turn. 

There in the doorway, smiling at their 
quaintness, stood Mrs. Grlynn. 

‘‘Well, well, you little folks of a hundred 
years ago! How very fine you look, and 
Rosalie, surely is a fine little lad.’’ 

Rosalie lifted her cap. 

“Dear me, child, who is it that you re¬ 
mind me of? Let me think.” 

She stood for a moment, a far-away look 
in her eyes. Suddenly she started. 

“I have it!” she cried. “You are like 
an old daguerreotype that we have kept 
because of its quaintness. I never noticed 
the likeness before, but now, in that suit, 
it is so striking that no one could help see- 


' TEE LITTLE PORTRAIT 219 

i 

ft 

ing that you, and the little boy in the pic¬ 
ture are wonderfully alike. I must find 
it at once. I believe I know just where it 

is. ’’ 

She soon returned, and the three little 
friends looked first at Rosalie, and then at 
the picture. 

‘^It is like Rosalie,” they agreed, and 
Lillian reached for the picture. 

‘‘Please let me take it,” she said. 

No one knew exactly how it happened, 
but between Mrs. Glynn’s hand that held 

it, and Lillian’s hand that reached for it, 
the picture slipped to the fioor, rolled over, 
and came out of the pretty plush-lined case 
that had held it. 

Mrs. Glynn stooped to recover it. 
“Fortunately it isn’t broken,” she said. 
As she turned it over, before returning it 
to its case, she saw finely-written lines upon 


220 


EOSALIE BABERS TEST 


its back. Adjusting her glasses she read 
aloud: 

‘^Gerald Glynn Dare,’’ and below, ‘‘seven 
years old.” 

The date, less definite, she found to be 
eighteen hundred and twenty. • 

“Rosalie,” said Mrs. Glynn, “I am won¬ 
dering if you and Lillian are related. This 
little boy bears the two names. I must 
ask my husband to-night if he knows of 
others in his family named Dare. I never 
took the little picture from the case, and so 
I saw the name to-day, for the first time. 
I thought he was a ‘Glynn’. ’’ 

“If Father can say that Rosalie and I 
are cousins, or almost cousins I’ll be so 
glad!” cried Lillian, and Mrs. Glynn said: 
“I, too, should be very glad to claim her as 
a little relative.” 

“If father says we are relatives I’ll not 


THE LITTLE PORTRAIT 


221 


wait to tell you. I’ll call you to-night and 
tell you. I’ll call you even if he only 
says ^maybe’ we are relatives.” 

Mrs. Glynn taught them to play an old- 
time game that her own grandmother had 
taught her, and later they tried ^‘making 
a cheese” by turning rapidly until their 
full skirts were distended, when they would 
suddenly duck, and the stiff silk would 
stand out much like the shape of a huge 
cheese. 

This proved so interesting that Rosalie 
slipped out of the boy’s suit, and into a 
girl’s dress so that she, too, might practise 
making a ‘‘cheese.” 

Uncle Stanton, as usual, came home 
early for dinner, and Rosalie told him 
about the quaint costumes, and the little 
lad in the old picture. 

“And wasn’t it odd that just after they 


222 


ROSALIE DARE’S TEST 


had said that that little boy and I looked 
alike, the picture in its fine leather case 
fell on the fioor. When the picture in its 
tiny gilt frame rolled from the case, Mrs. 
Glynn saw that something was written on 
the back. It was the boy’s name, and a 
date: ‘Gerald Glynn Dare, 1820.’ 

“Oh, I do hope Lillian and I are cous¬ 
ins!” concluded Eosalie. 

“Would she be dearer if she were your 
cousin?” Uncle Stanton asked, gently 
tweaking one of her curls. 

“I don’t see how she could be dearer,” 
Eosalie said, “but I’d feel as if she be¬ 
longed to us, and that I belonged a bit to 
her—and to all the Glynns,” Eosalie ad¬ 
ded, “and they are all so very dear.” 

An hour later the telephone rang. 

It happened that Stanton was standing 
near it, so he answered. 


THE LITTLE PORTRAIT 


223 


Lillian/’ said Stanton, ‘^and she 
can’t wait a second to speak to yon. She 
sounds a bit crazy, so you’d best hurry.” 

Hello!” called Rosalie, and then fol¬ 
lowed a conversation that greatly amused 
Uncle Stanton and his wife. 

‘ ^ Oh, Lillian! 0 my I Do you really mean 
it? Oo— 00 !” 

Then a long space while Rosalie listened, 
and then, so excited was she that she 
actually bounced on the chair. 

‘^His great-uncle’s name was Carlton 
Dare? That was my own grandfather’s 
name, and my father’s name, too. 

^^What?” 

^‘Oh, isn’t that fine? Third cousins, 
did you say, third cousins?” 

‘^Well, then we’ll say cousins, and not 
bother to say third!” 

Rosalie hung up the receiver, whirled 


224 


ROSALIE DARE ^8 TEST 


about, and sprang from the chair to the 
floor. 

‘‘What do you think, every one of you? 
Lillian and I are cousins!’’ she cried. 

“Only third cousins,” growled Stanton, 
“and that isn’t much relation, is it. 
Father?” 

“Not very closely related, and yet rela¬ 
tives,” Uncle Stanton said. 

“I wonder who else will be claiming her 
for a relative?” said young Stanton in dis¬ 
gust, “Rosalie simply can’t be everybody’s 
cousin.” 

“What is your objection?” asked Uncle 
Stanton, who was greatly amused at what 
Stanton had said. 

“Because every one who can prove that 
she is a relative, will be asking her to 
visit, and we who are really, truly relatives 
won’t see her at all,” said Stanton, and 



TEE LITTLE PORTRAIT 


225 


Rosalie looked up at him with puzzled 
eyes. 

‘^But you’ve often said I was only a 
girl!” she said, slowly. 

‘^Oh, well, what if I did? I haven’t 
been saying an 3 dhing like that lately, have 
I?” he asked. 

—no,” said Rosalie, slowly. 

‘^All I’ve been saying is that you’re a 
regular trump!” 

‘‘I don’t know just what a ‘trump’ is,” 
said Rosalie, “tho of course I’ve heard 
Aunt Cynthia, and her friends talking 
about trumps when they are playing cards, 
and sometimes they are queens, and some¬ 
times jacks, and sometimes just the cards 
with no pictures. Is it nice. Uncle Stan¬ 
ton, to be a trump?” 

“Fine, I should say,” Uncle Stanton 
said, laughing. 



226 


ROSALIE DARE ^8 TEST 


^^Then it doesn’t matter wlietlier I un¬ 
derstand what it means or not, ’ ’ said Rosa¬ 
lie, running off to find Blanford and tell 
him the great news that she and Lillian 
were cousins. 

Saturday came, as all longed-for days 
will come if we wait patiently, and with it 
came Bert and Gruarda. 

Rosalie was an apt pupil, Stanton less 
quick to learn, but both were willing to 
work, and Bert and Guar da were inter¬ 
ested in their new pupils. 

Rosalie wondered if Stanton, when after¬ 
noon arrived, would refuse to go to Madam 
Claire’s class, but Stanton at lunch re¬ 
marked that there was no time to lose if 
they were to be prompt. 

He was ready before Rosalie was and 
stood in the hall whistling when she came 
down the stairs. 


TEE LITTLE PORTRAIT 


227 


‘‘Why didn’t you start alongshe 
asked. “You don’t care to be late, and 
you will be if you wait until I am half¬ 
way there before you start.” 

“I’m going to walk along with you,” 
said Stanton. 

“I’m only a girl/’ she said, laughing. 

“I know I used to say that,” Stanton 
said, looking abashed, “haven’t I been say¬ 
ing lately that you’re a trump? Didn’t 
I say yesterday that you were as good as a 
boy cousin any day?” 

“Yes, you did say that,” Rosalie ad¬ 
mitted, slowly. 

“Well, then, let’s be starting,” said 
Stanton, so off they went, Stanton for the 
first time showing an attempt at courtesy. 

He did not talk as they walked along. 
He would have preferred to have gone over 
to the class alone, but he remembered that 


228 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


Rosalie had given up many play hours to 
help him with lessons, or to amuse him 
when the days were tedious and long, and 
he knew that it was nothing more than 
fair to be kind to her. 

It was not that he disliked Rosalie. In¬ 
deed, he had begun to think of her as a 
good little friend, but he was afraid that 
the boys would tease him. 

It happened that the boys had all along 
thought it rather mean that he could not be 
at least friendly toward Rosalie, who was 
well-liked by all her friends and class¬ 
mates. 

When they saw the two approaching, 
Brant Erling cried out: 

^‘Well, well! At last Stanton Gifford is 
showing decent manners.’^ 

^^Sure enough!’’ said Charles Winton, 
‘^And it’s about time.” 


TEE LITTLE PORTRAIT 


229 


‘‘My sister Lillian thinks there’s no one 
like Eosalie Dare,” said Merwin Glynn, 
“and Mother agrees with her.” 

“Well, who is dearer than Rosalie 
Hilda Trent asked, to which Iris and Lil¬ 
lian cried, as with one voice: “No one any¬ 
where is half so dear as Rosalie Dare. 
I’m glad Stanton Gifford is beginning to 
act half-decent.” 

“He is behaving better lately,” said 
Hilda, “so maybe some day he’ll be quite 
pleasant.” 

Maybe, but we’ll wait and see,” said 
Brant Erling. 

The afternoon passed pleasantly. Stan¬ 
ton tried earnestly to do his best, and when 
oh, wonder of wonders, he asked Rosalie to 
dance with him, he found her as patient, 
as willing to help him, as she had been with 
other things. 



230 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


After the class, several girls and boys 
were going their way home, so Rosalie and 
Stanton had fine company all the way. 

So well had Rosalie helped Stanton with 
his lessons that a few weeks after his return 
to school, he won second place in his class, 
and that aroused his ambition so that he 
determined to work to win first place. 

Uncle Stanton was delighted, while Aunt 
Cynthia could not express her pride and 
happiness at Stanton’s progress. 

Stanton himself was happier than he had 
ever been before. 

N 

He had hated study, disliked nearly 
every one, and was generally disagreeable 
and unhappy. 

Now that he was hard at work at his 
studies, he was knowing the joy of success, 
and yet another thing added to his hap¬ 
piness. 


THE LITTLE PORTRAIT 


231 


During the long, tedious weeks that had 
kept him indoors he had learned the true 
worth of his friends, and now, because he 
felt kind and genial toward all, he found 
himself exceedingly popular. 

He had lost the sullen frown that had 
marred his appearance, and now he looked 
like a happy, good-tempered boy that one 
might like to know. 


CHAPTER XII 


IN MAYTIME 

W HEN spring came she touched the 
trees so that leaf-buds appeared, 
and here and there a shrub showed buds 
that soon would be flowers. Pots of yellow 
jonquils peeped from windows, and bright 
red tulips were everywhere. 

Rosalie was at the head of her class, while 
Stanton had also won first place. 

One day a letter came from dear Aunt 
Constance saying that they would soon be 
on their way home from California, and 
that they would stop at Uncle Stanton’s 
home to call for Rosalie. 

‘‘Bruce and I are eager to see you, dear, 


232 


IN MAYTIME 


233 


and we are planning a lovely s umm er. It 
is charming here in California, but dreams 
of home and you, little Rosalie, are making 
me eager to start, so I am already packing 
a few things/’ 

^^Aunt Constance is coming! Aunt Con¬ 
stance is coming!” sang Rosalie as she 
danced out through the hall. 

‘^Well, I declare! Anybody would say 
you were glad to leave here!” cried Stan¬ 
ton, who was just coming in from school. 

^^It isn’t that I’m glad to leave here/’ 
declared Rosalie. ^^It’s that I’m glad to 
go there^ and to see Uncle Bruce and Aunt 
Constance again. Why wouldn’t I be glad 
to see them'? They’ve been away nine 
months. Why, Stanton, when I came here 
last September I was only seven, and now 
I’m eight.” 

^‘It sounds like a whole year’s differ- 



234 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


ence, and it is only nine months,” said 
Stanton. 

wasn’t eight till October,” Rosalie 
replied. ^^You were nine when I came, and 
you weren’t ten till December, so you’ve 
had a new birthday only six months, but 
you seem to enjoy it. 

^^When folks ask how old you are, I 
notice how you hurry to say, ^Ten,’ but you 
don’t say anything about being ten only six 
months, Stanton.” 

‘‘You two children must practise your 
Spanish dance so that you may be able to 
show it to our guests when they arrive. 
Think how pleased they will be if you do 
it well,” said Aunt Cynthia. 

“We might practise a bit before dinner,” 
said Rosalie, and off they ran to wind the 
victrola, and go through the fine figures 
a few times before six o’clock. 


IN MAYTIME 


235 


Uncle Stanton came in while they were 
busy practising. 

Aunt Cynthia told him of the letter, and 
he sighed, as he took a chair beside her. 

^‘We are going to miss her, more than we 
dream,’’ he said, ‘^and now I know what 
it meant for Bruce and Constance to let 
us have her for so many months. Rosalie 
is a sunbeam in the house, and she has done 
more for Stanton than any one else could 
have done.” 

‘‘You are right, Stanton,” Aunt Cynthia 
said, “but now that he is doing so much 
better in every way, I believe he will con¬ 
tinue, even when Rosalie is with Uncle 
Bruce. I do wish she was to be here a few 
months longer, though.” 

“Do you think we could ever be wholly 
willing to have her go?” Uncle Stanton 
asked. 


236 


ROSALIE BABERS TEST 


Aunt Cynthia replied, ‘‘I don’t 
believe we ever could.” 

Out on a vine-covered veranda in sunny 
California, Uncle Bruce and Aunt Con¬ 
stance were talking of Rosalie, and how 
soon they would be able to see her. 

^‘She must have grown quite a bit in the 
months since we have seen her,” said Aunt 
Constance, “but I know she has not 
changed. She will be the same loving 
Rosalie.” 

“I earnestly hope Stanton has changed,” 
said Uncle Bruce with a laugh, “for he was 
a noisy scamp the last time that I saw him, 
and surely if he has grown any noisier than 
he was then, I shall plan to fill my ears 
with cotton.” 

“I have an idea that he has improved,” 
said Aunt Constance. “Rosalie does not 



m MAYTIME 


237 


say so when she writes, but at first she used 
to avoid mentioning him in her letters,” 
she continued, ^^but now she often speaks 
of him. Once she said that he was doing 
home work, and that she was helping him. 
At another time she said that he was help¬ 
ing his father about something, I have 
forgotten what, and last week she wrote 
that he had worked to reach the head of 
his class, and had just brought home his 
report, and he had won first place. That 
makes me think that he has improved. 
When we were there, his father was greatly 
annoyed by his laziness.” 

‘^Well, we will hope for the best,” said 
Uncle Bruce, ^‘but when I think how much 
improvement would have been necessary to 
make him appear even half decent, I am 
not able to feel wildly glad to meet him.” 

^^But you want to see Rosalie,” said 


238 


ROSALIE DARE’S TEST 


Aunt Constance, ‘‘and you have to go there 
to see her.” 

“Now, seeing Rosalie is a very different 
thing,” said Uncle Bruce. “I’d go any¬ 
where to see Rosalie.” 

Others were talking of Rosalie. 

Aunt Lucia Curtis and Uncle Jason were 
standing in the doorway, and looking off 
across their sun-kissed meadows. Their 
farm consisted of many acres of fertile 
land, and they believed it to be one of the 
fairest spots in the country, as indeed it 
was. 

“What a wonderful place for a child 
like Rosalie to spend the summer,” said 
Aunt Lucia. “I mean to ask Constance 
to come up here with her for a long visit.” 

“I think Rosalie would be more con¬ 
tented here in summer than in winter,” 
Uncle Jason said. 


IN MAYTIME 


239 


‘^111 write to Constance now, and you 
mail it, Jason, when you go down to the 
center,’’ said Aunt Lucia. ‘‘I’ll send it 
to Cynthia and when Constance reaches 
there, she’ll find it waiting for her.” 

And while kindly Aunt Lucia sat at a 
quaint little table by the window writing 
an urgent invitation for Rosalie, Aunt 
Blanche Davenport was telling a dear 
friend her own opinion of Rosalie’s winter 
at her Aunt Cynthia’s home. 

“But I thought this little niece was com¬ 
ing to spend the winter with you, Blanche,” 
the caller said, “You said so.” 

“I did invite her to, but Cynthia out¬ 
witted me. Cynthia is a dear, good woman, 
but very pushing, very pushing, my dear. 

“She has rarely been to see Constance. 
The last time was when Rosalie was a 
baby. Well, it amounts to this: We three. 


240 


ROSALIE BARE^S TEST 


Cynthia, Lucia, and I met, and after a time, 
Cynthia spoke of Rosalie. Of course we 
had heard all along that she was a dear 
little girl, very charming and sweet-tem¬ 
pered, and Cynthia kept telling how dear 
she was, but when Lucia said that she would 
enjoy having her for a few months as a 
little guest, and I said the same, Cynthia 
hastened to say that if was already ar¬ 
ranged that Rosalie should spend the winter 
with her.’^ ' 

‘^Well,^’ said the lady, ‘‘you must make 
up your mind that you had less care during 
the winter.” 

“But she is no care at all,” said Aunt 
Blanche. “Cynthia says so. She wrote 
the other day that she had never seen a 
child, barely eight years old, who could do 
almost everything for herself.” 


IN MAYTIME 


241 


‘‘If she is no care, she is a wonder,” de¬ 
clared the lady. 

“She is, if all that Cynthia says is true,” 
Aunt Blanche replied. 

She was silent for a moment, then she 
said: 

“I think I’ll write a letter to Constance 
and tell her that I think Rosalie’s next 
visit should be to me. If I wait, Lucia Cur¬ 
tis will get one there first.” 

Aunt Blanche’s caller laughed softly. 

“You are trying to ‘get there first’,” said 
the lady, “and isn’t that what you accused 
Mrs. Griff or d of doing?” 

“Cynthia went there to invite her,” ex¬ 
plained Aunt Blanche, “while I am merely 
writing. ’ ’ 

Aunt Blanche’s friend did not see that 
one invitation differed greatly from the 
other, but she did not say so. Aunt 


242 


B08AL1E DARE’S TEST 


Blanche was quick-tempered, and easily 
offended. 

Uncle Bruce and Aunt Constance arrived 
one sunny morning just after Stanton and 
Rosalie had gone to school. 

There was much to tell of their long 
sojourn in California, but soon Aunt Con¬ 
stance was eagerly asking all about 
Rosalie. 

‘‘She is the dearest child,’’ said Aunt 
Cynthia, “and I don’t know what we 
should have done if she had not been with 
us while Stanton was recovering. Really, 
she amused him, studied with him, and 
she cheered me like a ray of sunshine. 

“As for Stanton,—^well, he was always 
a dear boy, but perhaps—just a trifle wil¬ 
ful at times, and well—not fond of study, 
but now he is at the head of his class, and. 


IN MAYTIME 


243 


oh, quite a fine, manly boy, I assure you. 
His father is very proud of him.” 

Aunt Constance drew a long breath, 
while Uncle Bruce’s eyes twinkled. 

Uncle Stanton had told Eosalie that the 
expected guests would be with them at din¬ 
ner, and Eosalie could hardly keep her 
mind upon her lessons because of the de¬ 
lightful thought that Uncle Bruce and 
Aunt Constance would so soon arrive. 

Imagine her surprise when she ran in 
after school to find them already waiting 
to see her. 

She dropped her books on the nearest 
chair, and fiew straight across the room to 
Aunt Constance’s open arms. 

^^Oh, I’m so glad, so glad!^^ she cried, 
then to Uncle Bruce she ran, to be warmly 
clasped again. 

^H’ve missed you so,” she said when a 


244 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


bit calmer. Uncle Stanton and Aunt 
Cynthia have been so dear to me, but I 
love you all, so I can’t really spare one of 
you.” 

Aunt Cynthia left the room for a mo¬ 
ment, and Eosalie hurriedly whispered: 

‘‘And you’ll be so surprised when you 

see Stanton! He isn’t like what dear Aunt 

0 

Cynthia used to say, but he is different 
since he was so badly hurt. You almost 
wouldn’t know him.” 

Uncle Bruce shook his head, laughing 
softly, and at that moment lunch was an¬ 
nounced, Aunt Cynthia returned, and so 
nothing more was said of Stanton. 

Just after four he ran up the steps. 

“See you to-morrow!” he shouted to 
the boys, and rushed in at the door that 
Blanford held open. 

“Hello, Eosalie!” he cried, “No lessons 


IN MAYTIME 


245 


to work on to-night. I’ve prepared every 
one.” 

Coming in out of the bright light he had 
not noticed the visitors. Now he saw them, 
and went straight to Aunt Constance, his 
hand outstretched. 

‘‘I’m glad you’ve come. Aunt Constance, 
and you, too. Uncle Bruce,” he said turn¬ 
ing to greet the uncle who had never liked 
him. 

Uncle Bruce, at a glance, saw the im¬ 
provement, of which Rosalie had spoken 
so decidedly, and he grasped Stanton’s 
hand cordially. 

“All right now, Stanton?” he asked 
kindly, adding, “You look fine.” 

“I feel fine,” said Stanton, “and I’m not 
smashing other people’s hats now,” and he 
laughed. 

Uncle Bruce laughed, too, and he noticed 



246 


E08AL1E BABE ^8 TEST 


that the sullen frown had disappered from 
Stanton’s face. 

Aunt Constance was amazed to find two 
letters waiting for her on her dresser, when, 
after a pleasant evening, she retired to her 
room. 

‘‘Well, Bruce,” she said, when she had 
opened them, and glanced at their contents, 
“Here is a letter from Lucia, and another 
from Blanche, each begging for a visit 
from Rosalie, and we haven’t had her in 
our own home yet, after a winter’s absence. 
Of course they do not ask her to come at 
once, but Lucia wishes her to come for the 
summer, and Blanche asks her to spend 
the winter at her home.” 

“Now, Connie, don’t think of it in just 
that way. We agreed that Rosalie should 
spend a number of months with each of her 
aunts, but in regard to Lucia’s invitation 


IN MAYTIME 


247 


for the summer, we are invited to be with 
Rosalie on the farm/’ 

remember that, and if Rosalie wishes 
to go to Lucia’s, it will be a comfort to go,' 
too. Well, we shall have two weeks of 
May, and all June and July in our dear 
little home, and then we can go to Lucia for 
August and a part of September.” 

They spent a few days at the Stanton 
home, and at last the day came to say, 
‘^Good-bye,” they said it with regret. 
Their visit had been pleasant and Stanton 
had added to their pleasure. 

He stood on the steps when they entered 
the car to go to the station, and bravely 
waved his hand, but when they were gone 
he said: 

don’t see why she couldn’t stay with 
us, as well as with them, and we’ll miss her, 
she’s been such a little sport!” 


248 


ROSALIE DARE^S TEST 


The train-ride home seemed rather long, 
but as they drew near the town, their eyes 
brightened, for it looked as if in gala dress 
to welcome them. The apple-blossoms were 
opening, and everywhere the town looked 
gay and festive. 

Closely the two who so loved her watched 
Eosalie. 

‘‘There’s something nice everywhere,” 
she said, her brown eyes shining, “but home 
is best of all, isn’t it?” she said. 

“It surely is,” said Aunt Constance. 

“And when I go to see my other aunts 
I’ll enjoy it,” she said, “but I know now, 
I’ll always be glad when I come back.” 

“You used to long to see other places,” 
said Uncle Bruce. 

“Oh, yes,” said Eosalie, “and to see 
what was on the other side of those hills. 
I’ll like to see all sorts of places, but I’ll 


IN MAYTIME 


249 


always like this home, where you and dear 
Aunt Constance live, best/^ 

When the train drew up at the station, 
and Uncle Bruce helped Rosalie to the 
platform, a small figure darted towards 
them. It was Lola Foss, and the two play¬ 
mates danced up and down in their excite¬ 
ment. 

Wheel What fun we’ll have now 
you’re here again!” cried Lola, ‘‘and I’ll 
run off now to tell Della Payson, and Hal 
Dana that you’ve come,” and away she 
ran, turning to wave her hand as she flew 
up the street. 

Long after Rosalie was in bed that night. 
Uncle Bruce and Aunt Constance sat talk¬ 
ing of her. 

“It was a wonderful test for a little girl 
to live in the house with such a young ras¬ 
cal as Stanton was, and it is greatly to her 


250 


ROSALIE BABERS TEST 


credit that Stanton has so improved. His 
father told me that it is Eosalie’s good in¬ 
fluence, patience, and bravery that have 
made a kindly, manly boy of Stanton, and 
I know that that is true, but how did she 
do it, the little fairy'?’’ 

^^Eosalie is a dear,” said Aunt Constance. 
‘‘What is puzzling me now is that Aunt 
Blanche’s daughter, Claire is such a differ¬ 
ent problem. Should you say that Eosalie 
would be happy there*?” 

“My dear, any one who could live with 
Stanton as he used to be, ought to be able 
to live in the house happily with nearly 
anything,” said Uncle Bruce, “not even ex¬ 
cepting a wildcat.” 

Those who would like to follow Eosalie to 
Aunt Blanche Davenport’s home, to enjoy 
the exciting happenings and to see Eosalie 


IN MAYTIME 


251 


with her Cousin Claire, may read of all 
these things in: 

‘‘What Rosalie Dare Won/’ 





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